South Korea’s National Assembly passed revisions aimed at tightening oversight of high-risk sex offenders and strengthening protections for victims of illegal private lending, the Justice Ministry said.
According to the ministry on the 23rd, amendments to the law governing electronic monitoring cleared the Assembly’s plenary session that day. The changes expand the scope of cases eligible for one-on-one supervision by a dedicated probation officer for high-risk sexual violence offenders.
Previously, such dedicated supervision was allowed only when the victim was under 19 and the offender was deemed at high risk of reoffending. Under the revision, the measure will apply to high-risk sexual violence offenders subject to electronic monitoring regardless of the victim’s age, enabling closer oversight, the ministry said.
The ministry said it expects the change to improve prevention by building a system that selects and intensively manages those at highest risk of reoffending.
Lawmakers also passed amendments to the Act on Confiscation of Criminal Proceeds from Corruption Crimes. The revision adds illegal private lending offenses to the list of crimes for which illicit profits can be recovered and returned to victims.
Current law allows confiscation or collection of criminal proceeds and their return to victims only for certain fraud-related crimes — including criminal organizations, illegal fundraising schemes, pyramid schemes and voice phishing — as well as embezzlement and breach of trust. Under the revision, proceeds from violations of the Money Lending Business Act, including charging interest above the legal limit or profits obtained by illegal private lenders, will also be eligible for return.
The revision also creates a legal basis for the state to confiscate or collect criminal proceeds and return them to victims when victims have difficulty seeking repayment on their own, the ministry said, adding it expects the change to make recovery more effective.
Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho said the ministry will "continue to improve the system so that management and supervision of violent crime are strengthened, and recovery of criminal proceeds and victim restitution are carried out effectively."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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