Child molester released after prison sentence for violating house arrest order

This Dec. 12, 2020, file photo shows Cho Doo-soon, a notorious child molester, leaving a Justice Ministry office in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. Cho was released from prison on Wednesday after spending three months behind bars for violating a court order regarding his house arrest protocol. Newsis

By Jung Min-ho

Notorious child molester Cho Doo-soon has been released from prison after spending three months behind bars for violating a court order related to his house arrest.

Cho, 71, was released from Suwon Detention Center on Wednesday and returned to his home in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, after serving his sentence imposed after he violated his nightly curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Dec. 4, 2023.

Cho justified the 40-minute breach of his curfew by citing an argument with his wife. However, a district court sent him back to prison for the offense.

The release of Cho, who served 12 years in prison for the rape of an eight-year-old girl in 2008, prompted police to tighten security measures near his home in Wa-dong, Danwon District, Ansan, where police checkpoints and dozens of surveillance cameras have been installed to ensure the safety of all residents.

The city administration also plans to resume the deployment of a special patrol team in the area to ease residents’ fears.