Recent electronic tracker damage case raises concerns over sex offender monitoring

More than 5,000 sexual offenders are set to be released from next year through 2029, raising concerns about the capacity of South Korea’s electronic monitoring system. In June last year, Cho Doo-soon damaged the antenna of a home monitoring device at his residence in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, weakening its cellular signal, but the damage was discovered six days later. Dedicated probation staffers already supervise more than 20 offenders each as violations and reoffenses continue.

Cho Doo-soon committed six monitoring-related offenses from March to June last year, including four outing-restriction violations and two instances of damaging his home monitoring device.

A total of 5,039 sexual offenders are scheduled for release from next year through 2029, while electronic monitoring is projected to cover 161 in 2027, 188 in 2028 and 163 in 2029.

The number of offenders supervised by each dedicated staffer rose from 17.1 in 2022 to 20.7 last year.

Reoffenses by monitored sexual offenders totaled 24 in 2022, 30 in 2023, 18 in 2024, 23 last year and 11 through July this year.

Violations of outing restrictions numbered 593 in 2022, 505 in 2023, 444 in 2024 and 451 last year.

Published Oct 8, 2026 5:02 pm KST

Cho Doo-soon, who raped an 8-year-old girl in 2008, enters the Ministry of Justice’s probation office in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, Dec. 12, 2020. Yonhap

While more than 5,000 sexual offenders are set to be released over three years starting next year, concerns are rising over a shortage of dedicated staff for post-release monitoring.

The electronic monitoring system meant to prevent repeat crimes is under strain as each staffer’s workload has grown and violations and reoffenses have continued, raising questions about its ability to cope.

According to indictments and court rulings submitted by the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court to Rep. Kim Dong-ah of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), Wednesday, Cho Doo-soon, who raped an 8-year-old girl in 2008, damaged the external antenna of a home monitoring device at his residence in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, in June last year.

Cho was sentenced to 12 years in prison and released in 2020. He has since been under intensive 24-hour location monitoring.

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According to the ruling, Cho smashed the antenna under the delusion that it was beaming radio waves into his brain. The device’s cellular signal weakened sharply, but a probation officer found the damage only six days later during an inspection inside the residence.

From March to June last year, Cho committed six offenses related to his monitoring device, four of them violations of outing restrictions and two cases of damage to the home monitoring device. In May 2025, he damaged the device’s cover, but the offense was only considered an attempt because the device kept working normally.

The case highlights concerns over staff shortage in monitoring sexual offenders after their release, as each dedicated staffer already supervises more than 20 offenders.

According to data the submitted to the office of Rep. Seo Young-kyo of the DPK, 5,039 sexual offenders are set to be released from next year through 2029. Electronic monitoring is expected to cover 161 of them in 2027, 188 in 2028 and 163 in 2029.

The figures are estimated from those ordered to be monitored as of August this year and could rise with parole and other measures.

Korea introduced electronic monitoring in 2008 to curb crimes with a high risk of recurrence, such as sexual violence. Under the system, offenders wear a device that tracks their location around the clock, and probation officers closely supervise them.

Courts can order offenders to wear the device, including those deemed highly likely to reoffend, those who victimized a minor and those who committed the same type of crime again within 10 years of completing a sentence.

The number of offenders each dedicated staffer supervises rose by more than three, from 17.1 in 2022 to 20.7 last year.

Reoffenses by monitored sexual offenders totaled 24 in 2022, 30 in 2023, 18 in 2024 and 23 last year, and 11 through July this year.

Violations of outing restrictions topped 400 cases a year, with 593 in 2022, 505 in 2023, 444 in 2024 and 451 last year. From 2022 through last year, violations of approach bans numbered six to eight a year, while entry-ban violations numbered six to 11.

从明年到2029年，预计将有超过5000名性犯罪者获释，这引发了人们对韩国电子监控系统承载能力的担忧。去年6月，赵斗顺（音译）损坏了位于京畿道安山市住所的家庭监控设备的天线，导致其手机信号减弱，但这一损坏在六天后才被发现。由于违规和再犯事件不断发生，专门的缓刑监督人员目前每人要监管超过20名罪犯。

去年3月至6月，赵斗顺犯有6起与监控相关的罪行，其中包括4起违反外出限制规定和2起损坏其家庭监控设备的事件。

从明年到 2029 年，共有 5039 名性犯罪者计划获释，预计 2027 年将有 161 人接受电子监控，2028 年将有 188 人接受电子监控，2029 年将有 163 人接受电子监控。

每位专职工作人员监管的罪犯人数从 2022 年的 17.1 人增加到去年的 20.7 人。

2022 年，受监控的性犯罪者再犯人数为 24 人；2023 年为 30 人；2024 年为 18 人；去年为 23 人；今年截至 7 月为 11 人。

2022 年违反外出限制的案件数量为 593 起，2023 年为 505 起，2024 年为 444 起，去年为 451 起。

发布于2026年10月8日下午5:02（韩国标准时间）

2008年强奸8岁女童的赵斗顺于2020年12月12日进入京畿道安山市司法部缓刑办公室。（韩联社）

从明年开始的三年内，将有超过 5000 名性犯罪者获释，但人们越来越担心获释后监管人员的短缺问题。

旨在防止再次犯罪的电子监控系统正面临压力，因为每个工作人员的工作量都在增加，违规和再犯罪事件仍在继续，这引发了人们对该系统应对能力的质疑。

根据韩国司法部和最高法院周三提交给执政党共同民主党议员金东亚的起诉书和法院判决，2008年强奸一名8岁女童的赵斗顺于去年6月损坏了其位于京畿道安山市住所的家庭监控设备的外部天线。

赵某被判处 12 年有期徒刑，于 2020 年获释。此后，他一直受到 24 小时严密的定位监控。

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根据判决书，赵承熙误以为天线会向他的大脑发射无线电波，于是砸碎了天线。该设备的手机信号急剧减弱，但缓刑监督官直到六天后检查住所时才发现损坏。

去年3月至6月，赵某共犯下六起与监控设备相关的罪行，其中四起违反外出限制规定，两起损坏家庭监控设备。2025年5月，他损坏了设备的外壳，但由于设备仍能正常工作，因此该罪行仅被认定为未遂。

该案例凸显了在性犯罪者获释后对其进行监管方面人员短缺的问题，因为每个专职人员已经要监管 20 多名罪犯。

根据提交给共同民主党议员徐英教办公室的数据，从明年到 2029 年，将有 5039 名性犯罪者获释。预计 2027 年将有 161 人接受电子监控，2028 年将有 188 人接受电子监控，2029 年将有 163 人接受电子监控。

这些数字是根据今年 8 月被勒令接受监控的人数估算得出的，随着假释和其他措施的实施，这些数字可能会上升。

韩国于2008年引入电子监控制度，以遏制性暴力等高复发风险犯罪。在该制度下，犯罪者佩戴可全天候追踪其位置的设备，并接受缓刑监督官的严密监管。

法院可以命令罪犯佩戴该设备，包括那些被认为极有可能再次犯罪的人、侵害未成年人的人以及在刑满释放后 10 年内再次犯下相同类型罪行的人。

每位专职工作人员监管的罪犯人数增加了三人以上，从 2022 年的 17.1 人增加到去年的 20.7 人。

2022 年，受监控的性犯罪者再犯总数为 24 起；2023 年为 30 起；2024 年为 18 起；去年为 23 起；今年截至 7 月为 11 起。

违反外出限制的案件每年超过400起，其中2022年为593起，2023年为505起，2024年为444起，去年为451起。从2022年到去年，违反接近禁令的案件每年有6到8起，而违反进入禁令的案件每年有6到11起。