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A memorial for a little girl, who was killed after having been sexually harrassed, was being held in April 2006.
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Human rights groups deride plan
The Justice Ministry said on December 19 that it will push for the passage of a bill that would require convicted sex offenders to wear electronic tracking bracelets in an effort to prevent the recurrence of sex crimes. Under the bill, currently pending at the National Assembly for approval, those out on probation as well as those who have served time behind bars will have to wear the position-locating gadget. Experts say that the bill is more sweeping in relation to trying to prevent repeat sex offences than another recently proposed bill, which calls for only those who have completed prison terms to wear the electronic bracelets. "The introduction of electronics bracelets would have the effect of deterring sex offenders from committing repeat offenses, since they will fear that they could get caught more easily," a ministry official said.But civic groups and human rights activists oppose the plan, saying that it would not have the expected deterrent impact and could infringe upon privacy rights. "Electronic bracelets would basically violate people’s rights to privacy," Park Won-seok, an executive at the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, said. "Instead of pursuing the plan, the ministry would do better to make more efforts toward preventing the recurrence of sex crimes, while the prosecution should mete out tougher punishment for sex offenders." Oh Chang-ik, a human rights activist, said, "It is clearly double punishment to have sex offenders wear electronic bracelets after they have done their time." Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]
