No. 154 / Oct 18, 2021
Electronic anklets are location-tracking systems that monitor children and habitual sexual offenders 24 hours a day. Criminals who committed more than two violent sexual crimes or sexually assaulted children under the age of 13, and sex offenders released due to parole or probation are subject to attachment of such devices. Information involving the nationwide location and routes of sex offenders is transmitted to the central control center of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in real time through a Global Positioning System (GPS) transmitter and recorded. The probation officer monitors whether the sex offender exhibits special compliance, such as prohibition of visiting a specific area (e.g., school zone), prohibition of access to victims, and prohibition of going out at a specific time.
Despite such surveillance, MoJ statistics show that more than 10 cases of damage to electronic anklets occur every year, with 13 cases reported last year. Up to September in 2021, 13 people cut off their electronic anklets. Two have yet to be caught. Kang Yoon-sung, who cut off his electronic anklet and then committed two serial murders, was elated about his crimes even after being caught. He had been imprisoned for 15 years in 2005 for 14 crimes, including robbery, rape, and injury, and had been released from prison on May 5, 2021. He said it was regrettable that he could not kill more than the two people that he had. In 2016, a civilian near the Opaesan Tunnel fired a gun, killing police officers and wounding two members of the public. It was found that he had cut off the electronic anklet with a kitchen knife and gone on a spree of sexual assault, special rape, rape, and violence to minors.
Electronic anklets are easy to remove using scissors or knives. They force criminals to comply with law and order in society, but when they are removed, criminals are free to pursue their activities until the monitor finds them.
Additionally, electronic bracelets have been developed by the MoJ. An electronic bracelet is a supervision device for alcohol drinking that identifies enzyme components from sweat, not body fluids or blood, and detects whether a person has been drinking alcohol. This can prevent false drunkenness claims by violent repeat offenders, and the bracelets are easily recognized, so they can warn of criminals.
By Joo Eun-jin, AG Cub Reporter
jej0288@ajou.ac.kr