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Notorious child rapist appears in court on charges of violating movement restrictions

Published: 27 Nov. 2025, 13:06

Cho Doo-soon, a convicted child sex offender, answers reporters’ questions after a trial at the Ansan branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office in Danwon District, Ansan, Gyeonggi, on March 11, 2024. [NEWS1]

Notorious child sex offender Cho Doo-soon appeared in court on Wednesday to face charges that he repeatedly violated movement restrictions and tampered with his electronic tracking device.

Cho, 72, arrived at the Suwon District Court’s Ansan branch in a navy tracksuit top and black pants, his long white hair tied in a ponytail. He wore a headset and struggled to hear the proceedings, at times asking the judge to repeat questions or turning to his lawyer for help.

Prosecutors told the court that Cho left his home in Ansan, Gyeonggi, four times between late March and early June despite an order barring him from going out during after-school hours. They also accused him of damaging the GPS monitoring device installed in his home.

Prosecutors said he shows signs of mental illness and requires medical treatment in protective custody.

Asked for his position on the charges, Cho told the judge, “I will do whatever the judge rules. I have nothing to say, and I reflect on myself.”

The court said it would proceed with additional hearings because Cho contradicted parts of his earlier statements. Although he admitted some allegations during questioning, he told the court, “I never went outside,” and insisted he had "no intent" when the device was damaged.

Cho had lived with his wife after his release in December 2020, but she moved out earlier this year, leaving him alone. He has shown symptoms consistent with delirium since early 2025, and his condition has reportedly worsened.

The next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 10.

Cho was convicted of abducting and brutally raping an elementary school girl in front of a church in Ansan in December 2008.

The child rapist served a 12-year prison sentence and was released on Dec. 12, 2020. He was later sentenced to three months in prison for violating a nighttime curfew at 9:05 p.m. on Dec. 4, 2023.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM EUN-BIN [[email protected]]