Gov't pushing to make identities public in violent criminal cases

SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- The government and ruling party agreed on Thursday to
revise laws to allow the identities of suspects in brutal criminal cases to be
made public.
The agreement reached during a meeting of Justice Ministry officials and Grand
National Party (GNP) leaders comes on the heels of the arrest of Kang Ho-sun, a
suspected serial killer who has confessed to murdering seven women in suburban
areas south of Seoul over the past four years.
"We need a special measure to protect the people from vicious criminals as many
have become anxious from the Kang Ho-sun case," Rep. Chang Yoon-seok, head of
GNP's policy coordination committee, said at a press briefing at the National
Assembly.
Kang's face was first published by two conservative newspapers late last month
that argued concerns for public safety and the people's right to know override
the suspect's rights.
Despite criticism from liberals and activists, other media outlets quickly
followed suit, stirring debate about the fine line between the rights of the
public and the individual.
The two sides agreed to soon form a special commission of legal experts to set
guidelines and other details for the proposed plan. It is not clear whether the
revisions would allow suspects' identities to be made public before conviction.
Officials also agreed to create a "gene bank" to collect and store DNA samples of
convicts to use in criminal investigations. The data will be managed by a
committee under the prime minister's office, they said.
The two sides, however, decided to mull further on the ruling party's plan to
introduce absolute life imprisonments with no possibility of parole or
commutation, saying that it could infringe on the president's right to pardon.
At present, many hardened criminals are sentenced to life imprisonment but are
eligible for commutation or parole after about 10 years behind bars, depending on
their behavior in prison.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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