Korea’s Most Hated Man JUST Released From Prison, Decided To Move Into VICTIM’S Neighborhood

Barabuing, barabum. December 16th, 2021. It's 9:00 p.m. in Ansan City, just. outside of Seoul, South Korea. Mr. C. receives a knock on his door. He looks through the little peephole. It's a uniformed police officer. He looks at his wife and says, "It's the. police." Now, to most couples, this. would have been very alarming to have. the police show up unannounced at your. house at 9:00 p.m. on a Thursday night. Like, what is going on? But, Mr. C was.

kind of in a strange situation. Someone. tried to kill him earlier that year. So, the officer was likely here to give Mr. C an update on the stalker that tried to. kill him just 10 months ago. And, you. know, the whole thing was really. bizarre. A 20-year-old man, a complete. and utter stranger to Mr. C. Like, they. had no degrees of connection. They. didn't have mutual friends, nothing. This man stalked Mr. C for 3 months, waiting for the perfect moment to.

strike. February of 2021, just 10 months. ago from that date, he had slipped a. knife into his pocket, buried his face. into a giant puffer jacket, and tried to. get into Mr. C's apartment building. He was caught with the knife in his. pocket before he could even get to Mr. C. But, the whole thing was just so. unsettling. He was dragged away by the. police, and he was screaming about how. "I must kill him. I must kill Mr. C, or. else life is not worth living." And just. to clarify, again, this is not a man.

that Mr. C even knows. Anyway, this man. was sentenced to 6 months in prison. And. it was just very terrifying for Mr. C to. realize that there were people out there. these days that have zero morals, zero. concept of consequences. But, at least Mr. C had the police, you. know? They'd been very understanding. about the whole incident. They were. constantly making sure to just check up. on Mr. C, trying to make him feel as. safe as possible, even stationing police. guards outside of the building. Mr. C and his wife ushered in the police.

officer. They're like, "It's 43°. Come. in, it's cold. It's cold.". Now, it's unclear if Mr. C recognized. the officer. And it's unclear at what point Mr. C. realized. this police officer standing in his. apartment. is not a real police officer. He was the 20-year-old man that tried to. kill him 10 months ago. He'd been. released from prison 4 months ago, and. he was back to finish the job. Wow. The fake police officer grabs a hammer.

near the door and smashes it onto Mr. C's head. Mr. C's wife is screaming. She's running out the door while the two. men get into a struggle. They're trying. to overpower each other. Mr. C's wife is. screaming, "There's a lunatic trying to. murder my husband!" The real police. officers arrive in record time. They. arrest the masked man, and Mr. C was. rushed to the local hospital. The 20-year-old man did not have the. best aim, so Mr. C ended up being. completely fine, just minor injuries, but he was very badly shaken up. And the.

police, they sit the 20-year-old guy. down and the attempted killer, they sit. him down and they say, "What is your. problem? You don't even personally know. this guy. Like, why are you ruining your. life right now? You're about to get. sentenced for attempted murder. Do you. understand that?" The guy with the. hammer just bluntly responded, "I'm. doing this for justice.". Justice? Can you really argue that justice is a. 20-year-old man impersonating a police. officer, breaking into a 70-year-old. man's house, and beating him on the head.

with a hammer? That's a senior citizen. What's crazy is everyone in South Korea, all the netizens, all the civilians, they agreed. this in fact was justice. Even the police couldn't help but agree. Maybe this is the way it's supposed to. be. Because 13 years ago, a little girl. had drawn a picture in court. It looked. like the drawing of an 8-year-old. because she was eight when she drew it, and the content of the drawing is pretty. alarming.

It's of a man standing in a jail cell. There are cockroaches just crawling. around. There's rats everywhere. The man. is holding a spoon in one hand, a bowl. of cockroaches in the other. That's what he's eating. He's eating a. bowl of cockroaches like it's cereal. And on top of his head, there is a judge. slamming the hammer down on his head. That man in the 8-year-old's drawing was. Mr. Cho. Cho Doo-soon He was the man who. was on trial for kidnapping said. 8-year-old girl, dragging her into the.

church bathroom, brutally essaying her. within an inch of her life, mutilating. her body, leaving her with permanent. disabilities, and just 12 years later, he was released from prison, living as a. free man, and not just free, living half. a mile away from the victim's home. Cho Doo-soon is the most hated and yet. the most protected man in all of South. Korea. The man that the government has. spent over a million dollars of taxpayer.

money to protect. The man that has. strangers wanting to kill him for what. he did to the little 8-year-old girl. named Na-young. This is the case of Cho. Doo-soon, also known in Korea as the. murderer of souls. He is also the most. hated man in the nation.

We would like to thank today's sponsors. who have made it possible for Rotten. Mango to support RAINN, which is the. nation's largest anti-violence. They have created and operated the. national SA hotline and all resources. for that will be linked in the show. notes. They work in prevention, resources for survivors, as well as. bringing perpetrators to justice. This episode's partnerships have also.

made it possible to support Rotten. Mango's growing team of dedicated. researchers and translators. And we. would like to thank you guys, our. listeners, for your continued support as. we work on our mission to be worthy. advocates of these causes. As always, full show notes are available at. rottenmangopodcast.com. We had our Korean researchers work on. the gathering of the data for this one, but as always with any case, but. especially the international ones, let. us know if there's anything that's been. miscommunicated, lost in translation, or. any additional details that you may. know. Please leave it down in the.

comments. Now, a very quick content. warning with today's episode. There is a. lot of heavy discussion on SA against an. 8-year-old and the perpetrator basically. gets away with it. If that is something. that you feel is going to be too heavy. or is going to bring you to a very dark. place, please take care of yourself, grab yourself a hot meal, relax, and I. will see you in the next episode. So, with that being said, let's get into. it. When the president comes to town, it's. kind of the huge coordinated effort to.

keep the president safe. That's what. this felt like. There's workers on. ladders installing more CCTV cameras up. on the poles. Street light bulbs were. being taken out and replaced with. brighter bulbs to illuminate the. alleyways at night to make it brighter. Facial recognition cameras were being. installed. I mean, those are expensive. Alleyway alarms were being installed. So, if you're walking down the alleyway. and you feel like, "Ooh, this doesn't. feel right. Something sinister is about. to happen." What do you do? You run to. the pole, press the big red button,

police will be dispatched. There were countless bright yellow. vest-wearing police officers just. roaming around the city of Ansan, surveilling the people, civilians, poking their head into businesses, making sure everything is in order. The government actually spent money. hiring martial arts professionals to. train the police department better. The control room for all of the CCTV. cameras in Ansan City, it looked like a. top secret military command center. Over a million dollars was spent in like.

the span of a month or two revamping the. street lights, installing more cameras, even just hiring more manpower in the. police force. All of that was taxpayers'. money. I mean, it's very clear to. everyone. Someone very important is. coming to town. Ansan City government. even hired 12 security guards, formerly. special forces soldiers and martial arts. specialists, to just patrol the area. around this man's house. 24-hour a day. security. They would even ask anyone. that's walking down that street within.

like a block of this man's house for. their ID. Just to make sure that they're. not someone weird. I mean, you can't. tell me that's not the president. Even the residents of Ansan are. prepping. They're hanging up lights on. their balconies, motion sensor lights. They're installing cameras. Some of them. gathered together and held up these. massive banners in preparation for the. man's arrival. Now, maybe if you don't. read Korean, they could be mistaken for. welcome signs. But, they're not. They. read criminal rapist Cho Doo-soon, leave.

our city. Castrate him. Cho Doo-soon to hell. Only. a death sentence will fit a monster like. him. Other residents, they locked arms, they hooked their elbows with each. other, and they laid down on the streets. where the cars were passing to block. traffic. Mhm. They did not want this man here. Other locals, they went to the grocery. store and they bought eggs and flour, baking flour. There was an overnight. rally outside the prison. About a.

hundred individuals were armed and ready. with fresh cartons of eggs, and they. were screaming, "Why are you protecting. the rights of a convict? He needs to. die. December 12th, 2020 at 6:45 a.m. It was. time. The most well-protected man in. South Korea was being released. The prison gates opened. A swarm of. police officers rushed out with a man in. the center. It was a gray-haired Cho. Doo-soon. Cho had been prepping for this moment, too. Just like the city, just like the.

residents. For the past 12 years, he had. been preparing. He was obsessed with. working out. He could do 1,000 push-ups. in a single hour. He was 68 years old on. the day of his release, but his. physique, his muscle mass was more on. par with a 30-year-old. 1,000 push-ups? In a single hour. What? When his inmates would ask him, "Why are. you working out so hard?" He said that. he was preparing for this very exact. day, the day that he's going to be.

released. Because. what if someone tries to attack him? People were so violent and senseless. these days. He was released wearing a ball cap, white face mask, and he was wearing a. puffer jacket. He refused to answer any. of the civilians or the reporters'. questions. He refused to apologize. He. just bowed twice silently in front of. all the cameras that were shoved in his. face. But there was a very interesting. detail that is so telling about this. whole situation. It isn't the fact that so many police.

officers were surrounding him. It's not. the fact that some of the officers even. took an egg to their back because. they're somewhat shielding Cho from all. of this. It is the fact that in Cho's right hand. was a tiny small tangerine. It's such a small, insignificant fruit. But it just feels so sinister. It feels. so nonchalant. Like he just grabbed a. piece of fruit on his way out to run. errands. Could he really even be. thinking about food right now? Later,

Cho's probation officer would that Cho. was surprised to see all the people that. were greeting him when he was released. He said, "I mean, I guess it kind of. makes sense, though. I committed a crime. that would anger both gods and human. beings." The day of that crime was. December 11th, 2008. So, 12 years prior. 8:30 a.m. It's below-freezing. temperatures in South Korea, 30°. Fahrenheit or -1° Celsius. It's about. the time that kids are rushing to school.

in their little puffer jackets and their. mittens. Adults are commuting to work, and in this quiet alleyway in Ansan City. is Cho smoking a cigarette. Now, if you. pass by him, you might think, "Maybe. he's waiting for someone." It is way too. cold to be standing in this windy. alleyway smoking a cigarette. It's not. even enjoyable. But, he's waiting. And he waits until he sees a little girl. that is named Nayoung. So, Nayoung is. not actually her real name. Her identity. is very well protected by the South. Korean government, and no one's trying.

to figure out who she is. So, she's. Nayoung. She's a third-grader, probably. around 3 and 1/2 ft tall, very tiny, walking to school. And she's walking. quickly cuz it's cold. He steps in front of her, and he says, "Do you go to this church?". Behind him in the alleyway, there's this. small church, and it it's not like a. normal church building. It's one of. those black brick buildings. It looks. more like a like an office building. that's been rented and converted into a. church, like the type that you would see. in major cities. She responds, "No.".

Steps to the side to walk around the. man, but he grabs her tiny little arm. and says, "You should go to church." He. starts dragging her into this quiet. black building. It's completely empty. It's a school day. Nobody who worked at. the church had even gotten there yet. It. was left unlocked so that worshipers. could come in at any time and pray. Without hesitation, Cho drags her up to. the second-floor bathroom. It is a. single-toilet private bathroom. There. are no stalls. There's no heater turned.

on. There's this orange-brown tile on. the ground that's ice cold. He throws. her into the bathroom and shuts the door. behind him. He forces her to sit on the toilet and. tries to essay her by forcing her to. perform orally. He pulls down his pants, but Nayeong refuses and this really. angers Cho. He starts leaning down and. starts assaulting her tiny little face. with his mouth. He starts biting her. cheeks in anger and he's not biting. He's genuinely trying to shred off her.

cheek fat with his teeth. He tears off. enough skin to get to the fatty tissue. below the skin. Her face will be scarred. Not all the way down to the muscle, but. it was really bad and it was very. bloody. Nayeong feels the pain of this. and she starts screaming for help and. Cho screams at her to shut up and slaps. her across the face, but when that. doesn't work, he puts his giant hands. around her tiny neck and strangles her. until she's unconscious. And then he unclothes her.

and violently assaults her from the. front and behind. He was so violent that. her large intestines were pulled out and. were hanging completely out of her body. There were at one point rumors that a. plunger was used on her private parts in. order to inflict this level of damage, but it was later stated that no, it it. was just the sheer brutality of the. assault that caused the injuries. She was completely disemboweled. When he was done, you know, with a.

bathroom sink, there's a pipe that goes. to the wall and that's where the water. comes out of. He disconnected that pipe, so when he turned on the faucet, the. water was now just spilling out onto the. ground. And it was just splashing on top. of 8-year-old Nayeong. It was ice cold. water. This was his attempt to get rid of his. DNA. And then he left that little 8-year-old. girl unclothed, dying, disemboweled on. the cold church bathroom floor. He walked back home. He didn't say a.

word to his wife. He's married. He went. into his room, changed his clothes, threw himself onto his warm, comfortable. bed, and he started snoring. He fell. asleep in peace knowing that he would. wake up in the comfort of his own bed. While Nayoung, she only had a 10% chance. of waking up ever again. She would wake up briefly from the cold. water splashing on her back. I mean, the. water was so cold it would have been. numbing on her skin. And when she looked. up, her attacker is gone. I don't know.

if she could see the extent of her own. injuries, if that would register in an. 8-year-old's brain. I don't know. But she mustered up all the strength. that she had left and started crawling. out of that church bathroom. We don't know how loud she could even be. after being violently strangled, but she. tried her best to call for help. She was. out the door and into the hallway with. this trail of blood just behind her when. a church worker sees her and they start. screaming for help. Paramedics rush to.

the church. They rush baby Nayoung to. the hospital, and it was one of the. worst case situations possible. Nayoung. was now losing consciousness. Her large. intestines was dying. So, when your. organs are exposed to the harsh. environment outside of your body, the. cells start to die. When this happens, doctors have to. amputate and remove the dying organ so. that they can try to contain that. damage. But that's not the only problem. that they're dealing with. There's so. many variables. They don't know how long. Nayoung was without oxygen to the brain. She had severe damage to 80% of her.

private parts. She had severe damage to. her internal organs. Doctors had to make. sure that her small intestines were. still intact because you can live. without your large intestines. You. cannot live without your small. intestines. Your large intestines are. mainly there for water and electrolyte. absorption to harden your stool. But. your small intestines, that's where you. absorb the nutrients for your food. The doctors didn't know if Nayoung's. small intestines were also damaged and. how badly and to what extent. Additionally, she had several broken.

bones. She would need life-saving. emergency surgery and the chance of. survival, 10%. She would be in that emergency surgery. for 8 hours. The surgeon would have to. cut open her abdomen, a long cut through. her chest all the way down to her belly. button so that they could operate on all. of her internal organs. She was bleeding internally. They had to. amputate around 70% of her intestines. The surgery itself is physically. traumatic, just adding more injuries.

onto little Nayoung's body. Nayoung's parents rushed to the hospital. and they just held onto that 10% chance. the whole time that she's being operated. on because all they need is that 10%. After 8 hours of surgery, Nayoung woke up. and instead of being in the comfort of. her own bed like Cho was, she was on the. hard hospital bed with machines beeping. all around her and a handful of police. officers staring down at her.

They wanted her to give her statement. The first thing 8-year-old Nayoung did. after waking up from life-saving surgery. was tell the police everything that. happened. And I'm sure every second of that was. painful. An 8-year-old describing in. detail all the horrific things a. 57-year-old man did to her, a man older. than her own father, that is not a. normal conversation. The doctors then sitting that 8-year-old. Nayoung down and telling her how her. entire life is going to change and how.

her body no longer works the way it used. to because of this man, that is not a. normal conversation. Nayoung was too. young to even spell the names of the. surgeries that she received. Nayoung's doctors had to amputate a good. amount of her large intestines. They had. to connect her small intestines to her. rectum in hopes that her small. intestines would slowly learn to take on. the role of her large intestines. And. because most of her large intestines. were now gone, she would have a stoma. A stoma is a hole in your stomach that.

doctors create that allow waste, urine, and feces to exit your body through your. stomach. So, instead of sitting down, using a. toilet to use the restroom, you would. have the stomach opening, and it would. be connected to a bag of sorts, like a. colostomy bag, and it would empty out on. its own. There are no nerve endings in the stoma, so thankfully it shouldn't hurt, but you. know, in that same vein, there are no. sphincter muscles at the end of a stoma, like you would have in the rectum. So, something that a lot of us might take.

for granted is, you know, when you go. out with friends and you're having lunch. with them, we can kind of hold our need. to use the restroom, or we can kind of. time it, so when we get home, that's. when we will use it, right? When you. have a stoma, there's no warning. There's no way to control it. The waste. will just exit the stoma whether you. like it or not. Side note, I know that the upside of all. of this, the the hope that we're holding. on to is that, yes, she's alive, right? This is very bad, but at least she's. alive. But, it's not, "Oh, she's saved. now. Just one surgery and she's good to.

go." No, she would need months of. intensive treatment to just heal from. the surgery, let alone the physical injuries that. were inflicted on her by this man. On top of that, she would have to learn. how to deal with this completely new. life. Patients with a stoma, they need. to learn to time meals. They need to. learn how to chew food, because for most. people, chewing food, when you're in a. rush, okay, you chew a little bit less. For people with a stoma, that could mean. the difference between a week of pain.

and being hospitalized versus having a. good bowel movement. Because of the. damage done to Na-young's private parts, she was not allowed to sit for more than. 10 to 15 minutes at a time. She had to eat less often. She could not. snack anymore. She couldn't drink soda. or eat her favorite foods. I mean, she. was just in excruciating, unrelenting. pain. every second of that journey. And every second of this physical. healing journey would be unrelenting.

pain, like excruciating. pain. So, while she's in that hospital bed. trying to recover, the police show up. with nine pictures. Each of them were of. an old, scary-looking man. They ask her, "Which one was the man who. attacked you?" And she confidently. points to one of the pictures and she's. like, "That's him. That's the man who. hurt me. I know this for certain.". Because of this, Na-young's Cho Doo-soon. would be arrested on December 13th,

2008, two days after the brutal attack. In Korea, one of the first thing that. kids are taught, and it it's kind of. random, but it's posture. Have good. posture. It's fascinating. Even in. elementary schools, you probably won't. see teachers in the US correcting. students' posture or even disciplining. them based on their posture, but in. South Korea, very common. Sitting tall. with your back straight is not even just. considered good for your spine. It's. also considered respectful. Slouching in front of elders, it's.

interpreted as you don't respect them. enough to be at full attention. In school, your posture can determine if. teachers see you as a well-behaved, studious, credible kid or not. And this man's voice was very stern. "Sit up. Straighten your back.". Na-young fumbled with her colostomy bag, the bag that catches all her waste and. is attached to her stoma on her stomach. The hospital didn't have ones for. children, so she had to use an. adult-size colostomy bag. It It hanging,

peaking out from under her shirt, and it. came all the way down to her knees. Because again, this bag was made for. adults. It was way too big for her. She fumbled with her bag, and she's. wincing as she's trying to sit up. straighter. Technically, she's not even. supposed to be sitting for too long. Doctors said maybe just 10-15 minutes, and then she has to get up. The prosecutors waited until they were. happy with her posture to continue. The prosecutors. court? This is in the prosecutor's office.

before the trial. What? Nayeong had given her full statement to. the police the minute that she woke up. from life-saving surgery, but the. prosecutors, they wanted her to come in. and tell them one more time so that they. could record it, and they could play. that recording in the trial. So, she had to start all the way from. the beginning in this very scary office. with her colostomy bag. She's not. allowed to sit for more than 10-15. minutes, and the prosecutor is. disciplining her on her posture. That is crazy. She had to start from the beginning and.

recount every single detail that she. could remember, even the most traumatic. parts. Each time it would take 30. minutes for her to tell the full story. "He told me to be quiet in the bathroom. He sat my face, and then he strangled. me.". By the end of her story, she would be. trembling, shaken up, and. re-traumatized, and the prosecutor would. correct her posture once more. And then. when she was done, he looked down at his. recorder, "Oh shoot. I forgot to hit the record button. Okay,

let's do it one more time from the top.". "He told me to be quiet in the bathroom, sat my face, and then strangled me.". "Damn it, what is wrong with this tape. recorder? Okay, let's go back from the. top, and don't skip any details this. time around, too. And sit up straight.". This would be the third time. "He told me to be quiet in the bathroom, sat my face, and then strangled me.". Oh my goodness, you've got to be kidding. me. The recording still didn't work. Okay, again from the beginning, don't.

forget a single thing, the kidnapping, assault, what he looked like, nothing. Keep in all the details. He told me to be quiet in the bathroom, slapped my face, and then strangled me. Nayeoung would have to recite exactly. what happened to her four times in a. row. Sitting on a hard chair when her doctors. advised her to not sit more than 10. minutes at a time, fumbling with her. colostomy bag, re-traumatizing herself, bringing her back to the day of the. attack over and over again with her own. words, while the prosecutor is yelling. at her, "Ttokbaro anjilago! Heori pigo!".

Which means sit up straight, straighten. your back. What the is wrong with this guy? But at least it's over, right? So far, she would have told the police. right when she woke up from surgery, and. then she just told the prosecutor four. times what happened to her. So, five. times total, and at least she's done, right? She never has to say it again, right? During the actual trial, the police were. in charge of bringing her audio. recording to the courthouse so that they. could play it for the judge, right?

Mhm. They did not bring it on time. I don't. know if they were stuck in traffic, I. don't know if they were late, I don't. know if they forgot, who knows? So, the. prosecutor forced Nayeoung to testify. She would have to traumatically share. her story for the sixth time in her own. words. She would be forced to sit there. with sanitary pads that would be smeared. by blood by the end of her testimony. because many of her organs were still. bleeding. Thankfully, she wasn't forced to be in. the same exact room as her attacker,

Cho, but she could see him, and they. could see her. She was placed in a second room in the. courthouse, and on the wall there were. two TV screens. One showed the judge, and another showed the defendant, Cho, in real time. Nayeoung would have to stare at him. while she recited all the details of. what he did to her. And then in the. courtroom, there would be a TV. broadcasting Nayeoung in real time for. the judge, the the lawyers, the. audience, the. for all of them to watch. That evening, Na-young went home to.

write in her diary. Today, a car took me. to Seoul for the trial of the man who. hurt me. There were two TVs in front of. me, one with the judge, on the other I. could see the bad man, and all of a. sudden, I was very scared. The psychopathy checklist is a 20-item. scale to essentially see how. psychopathic someone is. It's a bit of a. controversial way of testing someone's. psychopathy, but it's used frequently in. South Korea. There's two main factors. Factor one is determining emotional.

detachment of the subject. So, do they. have superficial charm? Are they. manipulative? Do they have an absence of. guilt or empathy? Then you have factor two, a measure of. antisocial behavior. Are they. aggressive, impulsive, irresponsible? There's proneness to boredom. Psychopaths tend to have a low. frustration tolerance. Do they live. parasitic lifestyles where they leech. off of people? The test itself is said to be very. intense. In Korea, it is not a. multiple-choice online test where you.

have the little bubbles where it's like, do you strongly agree, strongly disagree. with this? The psychopath test used by. Korean researchers asks inmates to write. essays in response to questions, and. their responses are analyzed by a panel. of psychiatrist to just carefully see. what kind of traits they have. An average civilian typically scores. around five to six. That range is. completely normal, and anything above 25. to 30 is psychopathic. Most inmates in. South Korea have an average of 16.4 on. the scale. For example, you know the.

case we recently talked about of the. Korean woman who killed a stranger, dismembered her, and tried to dispose of. her body in a suitcase because she. wanted to experience what it felt like? true crime. Yes. She scored a 28. Oh my goodness. Cho scored a 29. And his wife was going to stay with him. knowing that, knowing what he did, he. she stayed with him after his arrest. even finding out the crime that he was. accused of doing, which he did. She.

tried to vouch for him even after his. arrest. She told the judge saying that. he wasn't you know, when he wasn't. drunk, he was really kind. She said he. always did the dishes, he made rice, sometimes he would make pan tan side. dishes, he did laundry, he would help. clean, you know, and he was very polite. She said my husband has never been. angry. He is praised for being a polite. person. I mean, aside from drinking and. wandering around, my heart and my family. life were truly peaceful. But that's really all she could say.

about him. Even if there was someone in. Cho's life that knew him well, they did. not want to stand up for him. And I'm. sure, yeah, a lot of it has to do with. the fact that why would they stand up. for someone that's accused of assaulting. an 8-year-old, but also they genuinely. had nothing good to say about this guy. He doesn't know how to keep a job. He. has zero work ethic. He's not a great. happy welcoming person. He used his wife. to pay bills. I mean, with that. how do you try to do a character witness. for anyone without perjuring yourself? All you could really do is go up on the. stand and say, "Your Honor, he existed.".

Like that is the most neutral statement. that you could make without lying. Today's episode is sponsored by Acorns. Acorns helps you automatically save and. invest for your future. And let's be. real, investing can be intimidating. So. intimidating that sometimes it feels. easier to just push it off. If you can. identify with that, today's sponsor. might just be the thing to kick you into. gear. I always grew up with the belief. that saving money is safe. Investing.

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fees before investing. Acorns Advisors. LLC, Acorns is an SEC registered. investment advisor. Brokerage services. are provided to clients of Acorns by. Acorns Securities LLC. Member FINRA. SIPC. For more information, visit. acorns.com. But I really don't think that anyone. needed the psychopath test to understand. that he was a complete psychopath. Even. just the way that Cho would look at. Na-young's parents during the trial, it. was dripping with hatred.

And he also tried to gaslight an. 8-year-old. He tries to gaslight. 8-year-old Na-young during the trial. It. is absolutely vile. So, Na-young stated. countless times to authorities, "The. attacker was around 40 years old, had. thin black hair, a round face, tan skin, tan and thick hands, and a very heavy. physique. His voice sounded really heavy. and he did not wear glasses.". A bit about this. Cho is 57, but he dyed. his hair black just to look younger than.

his actual age. Na-young mistook him to. be in his 40s, which, you know, even. without the dyed hair is completely. understandable. Like I have never met a. kid that accurately guesses the age of. an adult. Most kids I've met claim their. parents are 102 years old. But because. Na-young said he looked 40 and had black. hair, what does he do during the trial? He shows up looking as old as he can. He. stops dying his hair, letting all of his. white hairs grow out. He's trying his. best to cast out on Na-young's story and. memory. Na-young stated the attacker did not.

wear glasses. Guess who shows up to. court wearing those thick near-sighted. glasses that are typically just for. reading. He loses a bit of weight before the. trial. Na-young described to her. attacker as a heavy physique man. The. attorney would even point at Cho and. he's like, "Look at my client. Na-young's testimony is inconsistent. with Cho's appearance.". But that's also like super dumb, you. know? It's like. you really thinks just by doing that. we're going to buy your story? It's It's like. "Let me change my white shirt to black.

shirt. Now we don't know who you are.". Like. It's very It's insulting. Yeah, exactly. And it's very you know, it's very like that type of, you know, behavior. It's just like well, haha, we. got you. Even though she clearly identified him. in a police lineup as well. Like it's. crazy and they were playing very dirty. But fine, you can try all you want. changing your whole look, having your. wife vouch for you, but nothing changes. the facts. Everyone knows what he did. He left a trail of evidence at the crime. scene. He thought leaving the water.

would keep him safe by erasing all the. evidence, but it didn't. The police. found several fingerprints in the. restroom all leading to Cho. Side note, in South Korea when you get your ID. card, they take a whole palm print. So. every single It's not like the US where. not everybody is in the system. Every. single person in South Korea, even. without a criminal record, is in the. system and the palm print is. interesting. So even if you touch. something with just the inside of your. palm and not your fingers, they can. still track it to you. The police ran the prints and it led to.

a man named Cho Doo-soon. They found. CCTV footage from buildings near the. church. The man in the footage matched. the man in the system. When police went. to his house, they found bloody socks. and sneakers. The blood type on Cho's. clothing was a match for Na-young's. So, yeah, you can try and not dye your. hair, but the evidence is the evidence. But, psychosis is defined as a severe. mental condition in which thought and. emotions are so affected that contact is.

lost with reality. Cho claimed he was in a state of. psychosis when he assaulted Na-young. Okay, actually, that was his last. version of events. Cho changed his story. so many times throughout the trial. The. very, very first time that he was. questioned by police, he said that he. came home after a smoke that morning. He. started running the hot water for his. wife, so that when she got home after. working the night shift, she could take. a nice, long, hot shower. His alibi was, "I was home. I wasn't at a church. I was.

home being a good husband.". But, his wife told the authorities that. she came home after her night shift, her. husband was not home yet. She hopped in. the shower. When she got out, he was. home, had went to the room to change, plopped onto the bed without saying a. single word to her, and fell asleep. The police caught him in his first lie. So, Cho changed his story. He said, "Actually, what's what's interesting is I don't. remember a single thing from that. morning.". So, he went from remembering turning on. the hot water for his wife, and now he. doesn't remember anything. He even.

brought a 300-page handwritten testimony. to court just denying everything. He. wrote, "Your Honor, people with. psychosis often say that it's their own. taste, but it's not my taste in dealing. with a child in an adult way. An. 8-year-old girl in my mind is just a. baby girl, and hopefully a sprout, a. seed in our country that is yet to. bloom. It is absolutely unforgivable for. someone to commit violence knowing a. child is that young. How can I tell you.

the truth that this was not me? Your. honor, I I will I will get surgery to. remove my genitals to prove to you that. it wasn't me. You may be framing me when someone else. did this to her. I sincerely hope that. you believe in the truth, your honor.". He's doing the whole if I'm lying you. can cut off my arm. Well, no, I can't. cut off your arm even though I think. you're lying because I would go to jail. for that. It's like a very bizarre Trump. card to play in a very serious matter.

He's insisting that this is not him. He. would never do such a thing. He knows. his character and he would hate people. that does stuff like this. That was his. new story. But eventually, that stops making sense. So then he goes with okay, fine. You. know what? I do remember things. I do. You know, the morning I went to the. church building to use the restroom, the. bathroom door burst open and a man. rushes out. I saw little 8-year-old. Nayeoung on the floor. She's trying to. stand up. I'm trying to help her. She. just keeps plopping down again. And you know, I got scared. You know,

because I thought if I report this, I. will be blamed for this. So I ran off. In his newest story, he's the victim in. all of this. There was another man who. did all of this and terrified both. Nayeoung and him. And now he's being. framed for this man's crimes. This man kept changing his story based. on how he felt the judge was perceiving. his excuses. And if information came up. to refute his previous statement, he. would just come up with a new one. And I. don't know how anyone could view him as.

a credible human being. Meanwhile, Nayeoung's testimony on the. other hand never changed. No matter how. many times prosecutors and police. officers forced her to repeat it, asked. her questions, tried to test her. credibility, she was absolutely sure of. every single detail. Even details like. how Cho's breath smelt. She said it was a very strong. overpowering cigarette scent. It was. foul. And they asked what other scents were. there?

Not too much alcohol smell, mainly. cigarette. Cho's ears perked up. So did his. attorneys. I think everyone in that. courtroom knew what was about to happen. and that was gut-wrenching. Na-young, an 8-year-old girl, had done. her absolute best to tell the truth. She. had been taught since she was a little. baby, I mean, she's still a baby, that. lying is bad. So she did everything to. tell the truth on every little detail. that was asked of her in a very. traumatic situation six times.

But she didn't know that the truth would. be used against her and that the justice. system was rigged against her. Cho now had a new story, one that he. would stick by, okay? He did do. everything. He committed the crime. He. did that to Na-young, but he can't be. held responsible for it because he was. in a state of psychosis. How and why was he in a state of. psychosis? Because he was drunk. He argued that being drunk puts you in a. state of temporary psychosis. That when. you are drunk, you are unable to make. decisions due to your compromised mental.

and physical state. You are unable to. control yourself. You are in a state of. psychosis. Okay, if this sounds. absolutely unhinged to you, it it is, but it works. According to Korean. Criminal Code Article 55, Paragraph 1, people with weak abilities due to mental. and physical disabilities are subject to. a mitigated sentence. And in Korea, being drunk. in the eyes of the law counts as a. mental disability. Which means, according to the law, Cho's. sentence could be reduced purely based.

on the fact that he was drunk. The. difference would mean if he committed. this act while he was sober, he could. get life imprisonment. If he committed. the act while drunk, his sentence could. be as little as seven years. In what world does being drunk excuse. anything or make things less serious. Which you know, like this logic is so. infuriating. When an assaulter is drunk, he is unable to make decisions due to. his compromised mental state. When a. victim is drunk, it's you probably. consented and now you regret it. Next.

time don't drink so much because this is. your fault. So, if this drunk law applies to. anybody, I don't think it should apply. to anyone, but if it does, it should. apply to victims. Unable to make. decisions due to compromised mental. state. Okay, so if victims are drunk, they are not able to make decisions, meaning they cannot give consent. Mhm. Automatically, if they are drunk, it is. essay then. That should be the law then. I don't. think I have to tell you all the reasons. why this defense. being allowed is so horrendous. But.

let's just do a quick run through. First, being drunk is no excuse. Second, the fact that they are using Naeong's. own testimony of saying that she smelt a. little bit of alcohol in his breath as. proof that he was drunk and should get 7. years in prison for his crime, that. alone, using her testimony, should be a. crime in and of itself. And third, there is no proof that he was. drunk that day. There is more proof that he wasn't drunk. at all. For example, the location of the crime. was a pretty quiet alleyway with not a.

lot of passersby during that time frame. People were commuting to work and. school, so I mean, for them to not pass. through this alleyway, it's a very. specific alleyway. Most alleyways have. some action, they have some traffic. going on. It seems like he knew that. It. seems like Cho conveniently chose this. location. Everything about this location. indicated that this was not a. spur-of-the-moment crime. It indicated. more of a man that was stalking, waiting. for the perfect victim. Another supporting fact, most bathrooms. in Korea, like major cities, are locked.

You have to either be a customer of that. establishment or a worker has to unlock. the bathroom or they have a keypad. So, a lot of churches, they actually have. keypads that most of the churchgoers. know the password to. This bathroom. didn't even have a keypad. Again, that doesn't seem like something. that's based off pure chance and luck. The chances are in Ansan, more bathrooms. are locked than unlocked. So, he just. happened to be in the perfect alleyway. where there's no passersby during. commuting hours and no witnesses, and.

then immediately found the closest. private one-unit restroom without even. stalls. that was unlocked? It seemed like he knew that the church. workers were not going to be in the. church at the time. Then after the. crime, he didn't pass out in the. bathroom, he didn't pass out in the. hallway, he doesn't stumble drunkenly. away from the crime, he ducks his head, and he quickly makes his way back home. And he attempts to remove all the. evidence from the unconscious victim by. pouring ice cold water all over her. That is a lot of planning to do if.

you're blackout drunk. Even sober, every. step of this crime would take strong. decision-making. Later, an inmate that shared the same. cell with Cho would say that he didn't. think that Cho was an alcoholic. Usually, you can spot an alcoholic in. prison from a mile away. It's really. easy because there's no alcohol in. prison, they start having withdrawal. Their hands start shaking. uncontrollably, they start sweating, they can't fall asleep, they start. vomiting, they've got these crazy. migraines, most of them become. hypersensitive to light. The inmate.

said, "Cho was fine. He was reading the. Bible. He looked pretty comfortable.". But the problem is, Cho does not have to. provide evidence to the court that he. was drunk the day of the crime. He just. needs to prove to the court that he's, quote, "just that type of guy.". The type of person to get blackout drunk. at 8:30 a.m. Even if he wasn't drunk on. that day, as long as he can prove that. he's the type, he will get a way lesser. sentence. To give you context on how. horrendous this little loophole in the.

law is, in December 2007, just a year. prior to Na-young's attack, two girls in. Gangnam were drunk at a club. They get. lured to a hotel by two men. These men. essay the girls, then call their friends. over, hand over the hotel key, and at. least another five men come in and essay. the woman. All the men who planned and. coordinated this group attack and essay, they all stated that they were drunk. They received massively reduced. sentences because they weren't in their. right minds.

They had booked this hotel room in. advance. So, maybe the plan wasn't to. target these two girls specifically, but. they had plans to target somebody. But, because they were drunk, everything. was forgiven. In a lot of cases, the. judge will even ask criminals that are. on the stand, "Did you drink?". The defendant will excitedly bob their. useless heads up and down and sign a. petition that says, "I drank. I drank.". Then the judge will give them a reduced. sentence and on to the next case. It's. almost like a custom. In Korea, 32.4% of.

criminals who commit essay claim alcohol. was their reasoning for their actions. Not moral depravity, just alcohol. It's gotten to the point where in Korea, there is a saying, "The judges feed the. defendants alcohol.". There is a movie based off of this case. called Wish. So, in Korea, it's called. Wish. In America, it's called Hope. And. it is probably one of the most. emotionally gut-wrenching movies out. there. It's about a poor family in South. Korea with an 8-year-old girl named.

Wish, So-won. And one day, on So-won's way to school, it's raining. This man comes up to her. and asks, "Can I borrow your umbrella?". She tries to avoid him, but he ends up. dragging her to a construction site, where she is brutally beaten and essayed. to the point of death. The premise is very well known. So-won. used to be super close with her dad. before this, but afterwards, she's so. scared of any adult men. He tries to. comfort her when she's in the hospital,

and she has a panic attack. She almost. sees the attacker in her father. So, So-won's dad has to stay out of her. eyesight. He can't even see his own. daughter because that's the best way for. her to heal. And it's ripping him apart. All he can do is buy one of those giant. Cocomong character costumes, like the. one that you would see at Disneyland, and he would cheer her up while he's. sweating in that costume pretending to. be Cocomong, and inside he would just be. crying because. he can't be her dad. He can only be this.

character. That's the only thing that. she will see. And it's heartbreaking, literally on all. fronts, to see how So-won has to recover. in the movie, how her dad has to. navigate trying to help his daughter. heal while also simultaneously being. rejected by her. And it's just a gut. punch. In the end, So-won realizes that it's. her dad in the costume. Cocomong leaned. down and she takes off the head of the. costume, and it's just her father. completely drenched in sweat cuz there's.

no ventilation in those costumes. Teary-eyed, and she realizes everything. that her dad did for her. But there's also a scene in that movie. where the judge sentences So-won's. assaulter to only 12 years in prison. And all hell breaks loose in the. courtroom in the movie. So-won's mom is. screaming at the judge, "12 years? 12 years? Do you know how old my. daughter will be in 12 years?". And a lot of viewers, they hated that. scene in the movie. I mean, they wanted.

the predator get life in prison. This is. a movie, right? You can write it however. you want. Give him Give him the death. sentence. Why are we all going home. feeling unjust and crying, right? But at least it's just a movie. But art imitates life. Because Cho was sentenced to just 12. years in prison. It wasn't just in the movie. Na-young's father cried out, "If this. man cannot distinguish from right or.

wrong and cannot make decisions, that is. the definition of a dead person. Someone. who does not know what is going on. around them. How can you say that he is. a dead person? He decided to approach. Nayoung. He dragged her into the church. bathroom and then assaulted her. How can. someone who is apparently not in their. right senses make all of these. decisions?". Nayoung's father cried that he had to be. the one to tell his daughter, his. 8-year-old daughter, that Cho Doo-soon. the very bad guy that broke the law, the.

country decided to just give him 12. years. Nayoung responded to her dad, "Too. little.". Her dad asked her, "How long do you. think the sentence should have been?". "50 years. Or better yet, they should. stop giving him food. The judge can't make the wrong decision. like this.". Later, she asked her dad, "Is this a joke?". From a justice standpoint, it is a sick. joke. Not only did the brutality and. heinous nature of the crime warrant a. very harsh punishment, Cho Doo-soon was.

not a first-time offender. Cho Doo-soon had a history of 17. criminal offenses. This was his 18th. offense. Wow. Cho's 17 prior criminal offenses were. not even small minor infractions at. that. He was arrested, tried, and. convicted prior to all of this of sexual. assault and murder. We're going to get to all of these in a. minute. If any single person in that. courtroom should have gotten the book. thrown at them, it should have been Cho.

Doo-soon. Judge Lee, who presided over this case, Nayoung's case, faced a lot of backlash. over his decision. His response was to. play the victim. I mean, I guess birds. of a feather flock together, right? To play the victim? Yeah. The judge is playing the victim? The judge said, "Judges are just public. servants. As a public official, I am. reflecting on the fact that I have not. met the public sentiment. And because of. that, not just me, but my whole family.

is suffering a lot from this case. What the. Judge Lee felt like it wasn't his fault. that the law was written the way it was. written. And that as a judge, he has to. follow the law. He said, "It's not. appropriate for the judge to talk about. the verdict. If mental and physical. weakness is recognized at the. investigation stage, there is no way for. the judge to change that.". The judge claims that he believes his. hands are clean and free from guilt. because as a judge, he's just following. the laws. It's the prosecutor's fault. for not applying for an appeal.

The public was clearly not happy with. his response either because the judge. could have just thrown his defense out. the window and said, "Yeah, I don't care. if you were drunk." It was really up to. the discretion of the judge. Mhm. So, this whole like, "I'm following the. letter of the law." That's not what the. letter of the law says. It says you can. get a minimum of 7 years. But you can. still get life imprisonment even if. you're drunk. So, I think like it sounded like this. drunk drinking. was a thing in Korea for so long that.

people just been applying that to all. these heinous crimes and this is just. another one of those. It's like, "Oh, you drunk? Okay, fine.". Yeah. That's it. Yeah. I think they're just so accustomed to. that law. Which is crazy. even care about what the crime is. anymore. They're saying it's like a custom. Like. it's a formula. You're drunk? Okay, here's a random sentence that means. nothing. And that's been changed right now, right? Like it's changed or is it still. the same? Barely. Barely.

Really? Not really. There are some. like amendments to laws, but no, I'm. going to hit you with some recent cases. soon. Yeah. Yeah. And a lot of netizens argued, "If. you want to argue the letter of the law. as some excuse for your choice to. sentence Cho to 12 years, then let's. argue the letter of the law. Why is Cho. being charged with essay? This was. clearly attempted murder. Inflicting. such visually fatal injuries on a child. in the harsh winter and leaving cold. water running over her unconscious body,

you cannot try and argue in any way that. you had no idea that this could kill the. child. This is a case of attempted murder. How. could the judge not see that? And with. his criminal record of 17 prior major. offenses, how could the judge give him. 12 years? What? He's just going to spend 12 years. in prison, get out a new man? It is very hard for sex offenders to. reform. A Korean news network, MBC, went to.

interview offenders like Cho. They've. committed heinous crimes against. children and now they're free. Did they. reform? Did they feel genuine remorse? Maybe if the public could understand. them, they could understand what Cho was. going to be like when he got out. Side. note, when I say these offenders are. free, I'm talking they're free, I. genuinely mean it. In the United States, about 44 states have a variation of a. law called Jessica's Law. This The law. in most states restricts child essayers. from living near schools, parks, or. anywhere where children can gather.

together. In Korea, they tried to pass a. similar law, but it seems very unlikely. to pass because Korea is such a densely. populated country. That's not me defending why it can't be. passed, trust me. Like I have better. hills to die on than the comfort and. rights of child predators. But a. researcher at the Korean Institute of. Criminology stated, "Such a law is. unrealistic to apply in Korea, especially in Seoul and its surrounding. regions, considering that schools, tutoring schools, like those hagwons, kindergartens, child-related facilities,

they're virtually everywhere." They. argue, "Plus, what if the law is abused. by some people who would be willing to. open a child-related facility to make. their neighborhood an off-limits zone to. ex-convicts?". Again, not the hill that I'm trying to. die on. Technically, released predators in South. Korea can purchase rent an apartment. right next to an elementary school with. windows facing directly into the. playground if they so wish. And they do. There is an assayer that lives right.

next to a kindergarten. This is not Cho. Doo-soon, but similar crimes. NBC. followed him. He stayed home all day and. only came out when the playground. outside filled up. Wow. Kids had gotten out of school. They were. playing. He would get up on one of the. swings and just swing around while. staring at the children. Do people not know that's him? No. His previous victims were between 7 to. 11 years old. None of the kids there, none of the adults knew that there was a. predator, a pedophile on the playground.

NBC tried to talk to him and he was. angry. He lashed out, "Are you here to. let the world know about me or. something? I'm already intimidated as it. is. Are you trying to tell everyone in. the neighborhood? I mean, you know full. well how pitiful my life is, how people. like us live.". No freaking way. He said people like us? It gets worse. He finally sat down, and. this was an anonymous interview, so we. don't know what his face looks like, and. he opened up to the producers. He has to. wear an electronic monitoring device, an.

ankle bracelet, and he complained about. it. He said, "Even when I put clothing. underneath it, it really hurts. Like to. have this heavy thing pressed up on the. skin, it's going to start to sag. When I. move around, the hard thing, it chafes. my skin and it pokes me, so it gets red. and I get blisters and it just really. hurts. I mean, it's just kind of useless, too. Like I may be wearing this, but what I. realized is it doesn't really have a. real effect. I just lower my pants and I. hide it, and you can mess with it and. touch it without anyone knowing.".

The producers were like, "Whoa. Let's. bring it back to the crime and the. victims. Like we're here to figure out. if this guy is remorseful, and they. said, "Those kids, you scarred those. kids for life.". And what do you want me to do about it? Oh, oh, I scarred them for life. I. should feel pain, too? Like, you want me. to live like that, too? Oh, my. It doesn't matter to me whether they're. hurt or dead. The important thing is I'm. not going to suffer more because of them. anymore. It's not like they're kind of. some grand, beautiful woman or Jesus.

Christ or anything like that. They're. just some ugly kids. No. But because of them, I'm suffering. It's totally useless. Wow, this is unreal. Did you intentionally try to avoid. places with children or minors? Of. course, I intentionally avoid all places. with minors. I try to avoid those places. on purpose because. involuntarily, even without noticing, I. start having those thoughts again if I'm. around. So, I avoid them on purpose. He's not telling the truth. They saw him.

at the playground that day, and the very. next day, they were watching him. He. went straight to the playground. All he. does is stare at the children, which is. more than enough. Like, put the man back. in jail, please. But that's right now. The judge ruled that he is high risk of. reoffending. And they're not doing anything about it. NBC went and found. Imagine you finding out your kids. is sitting at the playground and there's. someone just standing there.

And he's. And then people say, "What can we do, right?". Yeah. There's nothing you can do. There's. really nothing you can do. If I find out. that's a sex offender, and I try to warn. all the other moms in the neighborhood. by texting that address, I can get. sentenced to prison for 5 years. For. effectively doxing a predator. Wow. Today? Today. NBC went and found addresses to. high-risk offenders against children. Most of them, shockingly, are not live. near playgrounds or kindergartens.

Currently, statistics show that out of. all the children predators released from. prison in Seoul, 88.5%. of them live within a half-mile radius. of a school. You can't tell me that's just a. coincidence, an innocent coincidence. Statistics also show when offenders. wearing anklets commit crimes again, they re-offend. It happens within a. 0.5-mile radius from their house. NBC found another one of those offenders. to see if maybe he had reformed. He felt.

remorse for what he did. He had. assaulted an 11-year-old when he was. like 70-something years old. What? He is now 80, and he was actually very. happy to talk to NBC. His face was. blurred, but he wanted to share his. story. He said, "You know about her, right?". Are you talking about the victim? "Yeah, the victim. I have a lot to say about. her. You know, instead of calling me. grandpa, she called me ajussi, mister. Back when I was 72, she called me ajussi. instead of grandpa. So, I thought that. was a little strange, and I think I lost. my mind because of it. She was begging.

me to do stuff to her." I guess she just. had a very, you know, yearning for adult. activities. She told you to touch her, the child. did? "Yes. She would come up to me. unbuttoning her clothes." A child in. elementary school did that? "Yeah. So, I. did what she wanted me to do.". He claims he was the victimized one. "I didn't take her for that kind of. person, but I think she totally planned. everything. I told the police she's a. gold digger, a baby gold digger.".

Did the child, the 11-year-old, ask you. for money? "She didn't ask me for money, but I gave. her pocket money like $2 a day.". "Anyway, I guess she lives around here. because if I go near a subway station, the anklet starts alerting the police. and they call me. They call me to keep. away from the subway station. Uh, when I. think about it even now, I really would. just want to kill her.". So, you harbor some resentment towards. the child. Resentment? Did you not hear me? I said.

I want to kill her. I want to kill her. This is unbelievable. Another tried to argue that the child he. essayed was basically a young woman at. this point. She was like nine. So there wasn't anything unjust about. it. He also added, "If you keep oppressing. us, there are only two things we can do. Either die or go back to prison.". Okay, die. Sorry. One profiler who works with offenders. including Cho said, "The thing with. these criminals, the one thing that they.

have in common is they think the cause. of their problem lies with the victim. So even if they're released from prison, they blame the victim for causing the. problem and they feel wronged. They. think to themselves, 'I wasn't that bad, but they made me out to be this heinous. criminal.' And they maintain this very. distorted perception of life.". A lot of these other offenders have been. dubbed in media as Chos. Even though that's not clearly their. names because labeling someone as Cho. Doo-soon, even though that's not his. name, tells you all you need to know.

about this person and what they did. Professor of psychology Lee Soo-jung. said, "There are many child offenders. like Cho Doo-soon in our country before. this case and it seems like there will. be many more after. There are not many, actually very few countries that would. allow a child sex offender to return to. his place of residence so freely without. any special precautions. And it seems very unlikely for someone. like Cho to reform. His whole life, 70. years, all he's known is himself and.

violence. That's all he cares about.". Cho had to drop out of sixth grade. because he was a raging bully. He never. went back to school. That's the extent. of his education. At 18, Cho committed. his first known crime. He stole a bike. He was caught, but it appears that he. really likes theft. He kept stealing. He. was very sexually active at one point, lived with multiple women, and like no. judgement on this part if it's not Cho, but I just don't think that everything. would have been consensual and everyone.

was of age, right? I doubt it. Cho was. convicted of assaulting one of his. roommates. He served a small light. prison sentence for it. He was then. later arrested of SA'ing a 19-year-old. when he was 31. He was only sentenced to. 3 years in prison for that. When he got. out, he married his current wife known. by the media as Miss Oh, and they had a. son. But the son ended up passing away. when he was only 3 months old. And they. had a pet Maltese. But he allegedly. killed that pet Maltese for peeing on. the carpet. It's alleged that Cho threw.

the Maltese on the ground multiple times. and then gouged out its eyes with. sticks. He would later allegedly say. that he did it because he loved his wife. so much. That dog was not peeing on the. pee pee pads and therefore that dog was. bad for his wife, so he had to kill the. dog out of love for his wife. Side note, his wife is 15 years younger. than him and a producer that interviewed. people involved in this case stated, "It's unclear if Cho's wife is a victim. or an enabler or both." So it's very.

difficult to understand her and her. actions, but she has done some really. unsavory things with this whole. situation. She was visited by an NBC. producer before Cho's release and she. screamed through the door, "Leave! Get. out!" The producer asked, "But did you. divorce your husband?" "I didn't divorce. him. If he doesn't drink, he's fine at. home.". The victim The lives nearby. I don't. know, okay? And I don't care about. anything like that. I don't know. anything about it. I don't want to know. I'm not interested.

She is still with him to this day. Now, I digress. Then just 13 years. before Na-young's attack, Cho was. arrested for murder. Almost 13 years on. the dot. December 21st, 1995, the attack. on Na-young was December 11th, 2008. Cho. was 43 years old when he killed someone. He was out drinking with his friends. when the 60-year-old man, who was not. friends with Cho, is not part of the. friend group, made this passing comment. at the bar about a past president that.

he supported. Cho went into this. violent, erratic, hysterical temper. tantrum, and out of nowhere he just. starts pummeling this old man and would. not stop until there was blood and brain. matter everywhere. The old man's face. was completely disfigured. and he was dead. Cho was only sentenced to 5 years in. prison. Because he's drunk? Yeah. And I can't make this up. Just 8 days. later, the Korean law was reformed and.

those convicted of murder would be given. life sentences with the possibility of. parole. But still, if he had killed this. man 8 days later, he would have been. given a life sentence. Even if later. that life sentence was reduced, he would. still be in prison on December 11th, 2008, and Na-young would not have been. attacked. That law went into effect just 8 days. later and it did not apply. retroactively. So, they can't just go in. and be like, "Never mind, Cho. We're. going to change it for you, too.". But I guess even at that time, the new.

law, it still was not much. The 5-year. sentence was too long according to the. Korean justice system, if you can call. it a justice system at that point, because that sentence was then reduced. to 2 years in prison. What? Cho was released after 2 years in prison. because he was drunk when he killed that. man. The same excuse he would use 13. years later. Part of Na-young's therapy was writing. in her journal and drawing. It was just. a good way for her to process her. emotions. Na-young's dad said, "Na-young changed a.

lot since the attack, you know? She's. still passionate, still energetic, but. there was, you know, that's something. that Cho could never take away from. her.". But that carefree attitude that every. child should have the right to have, that every adult on this planet should. honestly work collectively to protect, that was gone. And it was very hard for Nayoung's. parents and Nayoung's older sister. They. wanted to do everything to help, but. sometimes they don't know how to help. Nayoung's dad said, "My child writes in.

a diary every day, and I read it. secretly sometimes because I just want. to know her thoughts. But no matter what. happens, she blames herself first. One day I scolded her and I felt really. sorry about it. So, I looked at her. diary and I thought that she was going. to write like a normal child, 'My dad. scolded me, so I'm mad.'. But instead she wrote, 'Even if I were. my dad, I would have scolded myself, too. Clearly I deserved it.'. And Nayoung's dad's heart just broke.

into two. I mean, for one, she's so. quick to think that things are her. fault, and two, she's growing up way too. quickly. Kids her age are supposed to be. angry when their parents yell at them. They're supposed to not be understanding. and not supposed to be seeing. everybody's point of view. They're. supposed to be children. Nayoung's dad said, "Until last year, she was a normal elementary school. student, but now it seems like she has. the mentality of a college student. And. every 2 weeks Nayoung's dad feels like. he has to cut open his own chest and rip.

out his heart because every 2 weeks they. have to travel to Seoul. She has her counseling treatments, but. also they have to go see a specialized. doctor who was working on creating her. an artificial anus. Now, side note, he. was doing this free of charge. The. doctor had heard about the case on the. radio and offered up his services. The. artificial rectum would hopefully mean. that she would not need the colostomy. bag anymore. I mean, even that is not easy. The. operation should typically only take 4. hours for most people, but Nayoung would.

need to have multiple surgeries, and the. first one lasted over 10 hours. When the. doctors opened her up, they realized. that her organs were basically tangled. There was a ton of inflammation and. scarring inside of her little body. One. side of her pelvis had hardened like. stone. It was a lot, and even when they were. successful at implanting the artificial. rectum, she would still need copious. amounts of therapy to try and get her. own tissues to have that regular bowel. movement again. And until then, she would still need her.

colostomy bag. And the family, they. don't have a lot of money, especially. after taking off time to take care of. Nayoung, they're barely making ends. meet. They don't own a car, so every 2. weeks, Nayoung's dad has to watch. Nayoung wake up and walk up and down the. subway stairs clutching her giant. colostomy bag that hits her knees. And she never complains. She's healing so slowly, but there's. healing. Last time Nayoung's family shared one of.

her drawings with the public, it was of. Cho in the cell eating a bowl of. cockroaches and a hammer on his head. Now, she's drawing SpongeBob with. sunglasses. And SpongeBob is smiling, and another one is like a pretty. princess with long flowy hair. And they asked her, "Why the glasses?". And Nayoung said, "Oh, I thought if I. put glasses on, he'll look cooler. So, I. tried SpongeBob with glasses. And the. princess, that's me.". And Nayoung would smile, and the scar on. her cheek would go up. But even going to Seoul to get.

counseling and medical treatment, it's a. huge stress on Nayoung. Not just the. physical act of getting on the subway. and making this very strenuous track, but for a lot of reasons. Nobody in. school, except some of her closest. teachers and friends, knew that she is. Nayoung. From what I can tell, everyone has been. incredibly diligent about keeping her. identity private, because that's what. she wishes. But it also poses some. difficulty. Nayoung needs to leave. school early and show up for these. random medical treatments, and because.

everyone in the area knows that a girl. around her age is Nayoung around this. area, sometimes it makes them question, is she Nayoung? She wrote in a journal, "Today I had to. go home early, so I couldn't stay till. the end of sixth period. I just went. home. I think my friends will think that. I'm weird. What am I going to tell them. on Monday? That's what I worry about the. most. I wish I didn't have to be sick. I. regret it a lot.". The only people that should have regrets. are the people trusted to carry out. justice, cuz clearly they did not.

But not everyone in this case is evil. All the schools in Ansan, they came. together to hold assemblies telling the. students to stop talking about who. Nayoung might be. Parents were. instructed to double down. They would. bring home their children and they say, "We don't know who Nayoung is, okay? But. how sad would it be if she's your. classmate and she heard you talking. about who she may or may not be?". Nayoung's closest friends, they knew. what happened to her, and they all. quietly protected her. These are.

eight-year-olds. They did a better job. than the justice system at protecting. Nayoung. Nayoung would miss class once. Another. classmate asked her, "Why do you skip. school so often?". Nayoung didn't know what to say, so she. started hesitating. One of her friends. stood up. "That's why you need to eat. all your side dishes and vegetables. This one's a picky eater. She always. gets stomach aches and needs to go to. the hospital.". One of her other friends chimed in, "Yeah, you need to eat more.". Nayoung would forever be grateful. because she just felt so protected by.

them. But they can't protect her from certain. things. Nayoung's family could only get. adult-size colostomy bags from the. hospital. It would reach down to her. knees, and it was clearish, so you could. see the level of fecal matter in there. You could also see when fecal matter was. coming out of her stoma. And Nayoung. would come home early from school. sometimes because it would fall out, or. it would fall off, or sometimes it would. overflow onto the ground and fecal. matter would spill everywhere, and. Na-young would have to come home early. from school.

Thankfully, a medical company reached. out and promised to send her colostomy. bags for as long as she would need, whatever size she would need, child-size. colostomy bags. But, she still had to wash it out. She. still had to throw out her own fecal. matter, and it's hard. Sometimes it. leaks, it's a mess, it's not pleasant. because the minute that you unplug it, it's not it it leaks down onto your. body. So, her dad made her this. contraption. It's this makeshift funnel, almost like a makeshift sink that flows. into the toilet bowl. She can unhook her. colostomy bag from her stoma, have it.

flow into this makeshift funnel, and it. funnels into the toilet. It matches her. height. She has to use it five times a. day to empty her bag, clean it, and. exchange it for a new bag. And we don't. know if Na-young said thank you to her. dad, but it's pretty clear that it meant. a lot to her. She wrote in her diary, "Today I had one. of those snack packages with the toys. inside. It's my first time assembling a. toy like that. I completed it in one. try. I did it really well. I constructed. it pretty good. I'm just like my dad, so.

I'm good at making and fixing things. Sorry. And I am thankful I was born. But, there are things that Na-young. can't do anymore, and her dad can't. create an invention to solve it. In May, Korea has something called. Children's Day. It's this huge. celebration in Korea where parents show. appreciation to their children. Relatives come over, give kids money and. gifts. I mean, kids probably love. Children's Day more than Christmas. It's.

a It's big deal. Na-young just had a simple wish, go to. the amusement park for Children's Day. When she told her dad that, his heart. sank. He could have saved up for a toy. He could have learned to how to cook a. new dish. But, an amusement park? Na-young's. colostomy bag had to be emptied. frequently. It made it nearly impossible. for her to be outside for long periods. of time unless she's at a hospital. But Nayoung's dad didn't want to say. that, so he tried to cheer her up by. ordering her favorite pizza, and she.

would sit there on the ground staring at. her pizza, and they have a really small. house. Uh, they don't have space for a dining. table, so they have one of those. foldable tables that you fold out and. put on the ground, and you sit on the. ground and eat, and when you're done, you fold it back up and put it away. She wouldn't even make eye contact with. her dad. She wouldn't even touch the. pizza. He poured her a cup of orange juice. Here, drink this. This is the one that. you like. I don't want it. Her dad got up and went to the fridge. Okay, well, how about some yogurt?

Why don't you pick one of these to try? She refused to drink any of the ones. that he tried to give her. He said, "I. feel like I'm living with my in-laws. right now.". Come on, Nayoung. Do you want to go see. a movie? Nayoung wouldn't even snort. She. wouldn't even look at him. Nayoung's dad was so stressed. I mean, it's hard enough to get Nayoung to eat. as it is. She doesn't absorb nutrients. well, and she has to eat three times. more than the other kids to grow at the. same rate. She was over 4 ft tall and. only weighed 55 lb. It took him a long.

time to get a juice in one hand and a. slice of pizza in her other hand, and he. pulled out a yellow gift box, and her face lit up. What is that? Someone who knew her and knew what she. had been through knew that she liked The. Simpsons, and they sent her a toy set. for Children's Day. Nayoung was so. happy. She spent all day assembling her. Simpsons toys on the window in her room. And later, Nayoung would actually grow. out of Children's Day. She got hit with. what her dad calls junior high school.

student sickness. All of Korea calls it. that. It's another word for puberty, when kids don't want to be around their. parents anymore. Nayoung's dad said, "When I come home, she doesn't say. anything. No matter how much I ask about. her day, it's always yes or no. Yes or. no.". He said, "In the past, she followed me. around. "Daddy, Daddy." But these days, she only likes her friends. This stage is really sad for a lot of. parents, but I wonder if there is a. twinge of happiness for Nayoung's dad. because. Nayoung is now experiencing such a. normal stage in childhood, just like all.

of her friends, the teenage puberty, too. cool for her parents phase. But there is a voice that is lingering. in the back of his mind. Psychiatrists. have all warned Nayoung's parents that. puberty can bring back a lot of trauma. Her emotional wounds were healing, but. they could burst open again. Because. when we hit puberty, we learn a deeper. understanding of and we will recall. feelings and experiences from the past. that we tried very hard to suppress. It's a hard time because victims who are. SA'd as a child, they could feel a bit.

of healing, they could make progress, but this could be a huge setback cuz. they're starting to understand what. fully happened to them. Mhm. Wow. But Nayoung's dad is hopeful. He. believes that she's healing slowly bit. by bit with the help of all the. wonderful people in her life. The. doctors, even the ones that are not. involved in her care anymore, they would. jump out of bed and run to Nayoung if. she needs anything. One police officer. who Nayoung called police officer Unnie, she meets with Nayoung frequently to.

take care of her. Former counselors, attorneys, the CEO of the movie company. that produced the movie Hope (Won) that. was loosely based off of Nayoung's. story, they're all part of Nayoung's. life. And because of that, Nayoung does not. complain. She wants to grow up and. become a doctor. She said that she just. wants to help people and. this feels like this is where the story. should end, right? A child who against. all odds, against the scum of the earth. that tried to kill her, goes on this. journey of healing and becomes someone.

that the world is proud of and inspired. by. That's the end. That should be the end. So, why is this episode not over? Because the real Cho Doo-soon was set to. be released December 13th of 2020. And. it was announced that he would be moving. back to Ansan, the city of the crime, and the city where Na-young still lives, the city that she calls home. It is said that his apartment would be. half a mile from her family home.

A 5-minute walk. The phrases "Cho Doo-soon fear" started. trending in South Korea. People started. circulating messages on social media. titled "How to stab Cho where it hurts. if you run into him." And nothing, nothing is helping ease the public. Psychological experts who worked with. Cho diagnosed him as having intermittent. explosive disorder, which has been. defined as an impulse control disorder. characterized by sudden unwanted anger.

People with IED can essentially explode. into a rage despite lack of apparent. provocation or reasoning. There are a lot of people who have this. disorder and they work with managing. their emotions, trying to identify. trigger points. And they can lead very loving, non-violent lives regardless of their. diagnosis, but clearly Cho was not one. of them. So, this is adding to the. anxiety that the general public feel. that this man is about to be free. Experts even stated that to make matters. worse, it is clear that Cho does not.

believe there are real consequences to. his actions. Imprisonment, the threat of future. imprisonment, that's not going to stop. him from reoffending. The same profiler who worked with Cho. said, "Someone like Cho, he gets a lot. of satisfaction from his actions, not. just the act itself, but we believe that. he gets satisfaction from watching his. victim and the victim's families. collapse.". The damage done to the victim's life, that is an addiction and a satisfaction.

for someone like him. Cho was given a. test that measured his likelihood of. reoffending his same offense, and they. measure things like family environment, criminal history, employment. It's. scored through 30. Anything above 13 is. considered a very high risk of. reoffending. Cho scored 17. And yet, he's going to be released? Stories from prison started circulating. around this time. So, before his. release, there was more buzz about Cho, and everyone wanted to know, has he. changed? Is he safe to be back out in.

public? Like, are we just releasing an. unhinged monster out into the streets? Spoiler, yes, we are. Stories from prison started coming out. Fellow cellmates started being. interviewed, which honestly really did. not help ease the general public about. Cho being released. Apparently, Cho felt. no remorse in prison. At least he never. showed his inmates. Instead, he was on. this high horse all the time about how. he thought that child offenders were. disgusting, vile people that deserved to. die. What?

Yeah. But to him, it it wasn't he was. not one of those people because he was. blackout drunk and doesn't remember the. crime. He also stated to an inmate that he's a. scapegoat, and there is no real evidence. he's not the one that did this. Yeah. Cho also complained a lot about his. circumstances in being in prison. He. said, "I feel like a bird that wants to. fly, but is caught in a cage. I yearn. for freedom, and I count the days until. that's possible.". Inmates said that while Cho was in. prison, he focused a lot on working out. He allegedly told inmates he was.

terrified that someone was going to. attack him when he gets out, so he needs. to work out. One commentator said, "Why? Why is your body that precious? Is your. body more precious than an 8-year-old's. body? No matter what, Cho will always care for. his own physical body. He will do go to. whatever lengths for himself, which is terrifying. Knowing that Cho. allegedly told one of the arresting. officers later after the trial, "I'm. going to work out in prison, build up my.

my. and I'll see you 12 years later. Allegedly, he would also complain about. the food in prison. He would complain. that he wasn't getting enough food to. bulk up. He would allegedly ask the. people serving the food, "Is this food. for a human? Why are you giving me such a little. food?". Yep. And because he was so ripped, the. inmates said he actually did not get. wrecked in prison like a lot of. notorious child offenders would. He was. kind of the top dog in the prison. When. an inmate was asked why, the inmate. said, "I don't know. He's been in there.

a long time. He's old. He's got a. dirty-looking face. His face is, you. know, his hair is white. He's in shape.". The inmate continued, "My first. impression of him was that he looked. like a violent offender.". How do you differentiate between a. violent offender just by looking at. them? It's in the eyes. You're in prison, you can tell. It's in. the eyes. Cho told the other inmates that when he. gets out, he wants to sell coffee on the. mountainside. I don't know if that means. he wants to open up a cafe. That's what. it was interpreted as. But either way,

it's astonishing that this man is here. thinking about his future. But the most terrifying part of all of. this is that it's said that he is still. has a very high sex drive at 68 years. old. One psychologist stated, "He's. still excessive in his desires, and. those desires are being actively. expressed in his behavior. So yes, this. does raise a bit of concern.". According to an inmate, this is an. allegation, but allegedly, Cho would. tell his fellow inmates that the. electromagnetic waves from the TV and. the CCTV cameras were slightly.

suggestive to him, and he would. aggressively self-pleasure himself to. those electromagnetic waves. So why can't the government do. something? Because he does not sound. like he is ready to be a part of. society. The best option the government could. have done would have been 12 years ago. when Cho tried to use that drunk. defense, they could have thrown it out. The prosecutors could fought like hell, tooth and nail to get that defense. thrown out. But they didn't. They didn't. even appeal when the sentence was given. Now it's too late to appeal his.

sentence. He cannot be tried again for his crime. because that would be against his. constitutional right of double jeopardy. The government cannot now reverse the. sentence or add on more years. I mean, there were conversations that he and. other offenders should be held in a. halfway house outside of prison when. their sentence is over. So you stay in. there until we are sure that you will. not re-offend. But that idea, this bill, has been shut. down by human rights activists because. they are worried that it would be abused. and criminals could be held indefinitely. in that halfway house. Human Rights.

Commission of Korea stated, "Detaining. an inmate who has already finished their. jail term is a violation of a human. right." Netizens thought, "Okay, then. what about we chemically castrate him?". So in 2011, South Korea enacted a law. that allowed judges the power to. sentence sex offenders who attacked. children under the age of 16 to be. chemically castrated. Chemical. castration is when you use chemicals or. drugs to stop the sex hormone. production. The purpose is to lower. libido and sex activity. It can also be. used to treat things like cancer. So.

it's not just used for like offenders or. criminals or anything like that. There's. a lot of medical reasons why one might. need one. But a lot of countries have. talked about chemical castrating for. offenders. And it sounds crazy. Chemical. castration, like those two words sound. unhinged, but it's really not. Chemical. castration is not removing any organs. You're You're just taking chemicals to. suppress drive. So it's not even like a one surgery, one. shot. It's like a constant. Yes, it's not permanent.

Oh, wow. Yeah, it's not a form of sterilization. either. You can continue to have. children. I mean, generally chemical. castration is reversible when you stop. the treatment, when you stop receiving. those chemicals. And there are some. risks like increased body fat and. reduced bone density and increase in. long-term risk of cardiovascular. disease. But like birth control probably. has same amount of risks. And compared. to the injuries inflicted by Cho, I. would say that these side effects seem. non-existent. But that law was passed in 2011. It does.

not work retroactively. So, no one can. force Cho to be chemically castrated. He. also cannot be forced to live away from. schools like we talked about. In fact, he can't even be forced to live a. certain distance away from his victim. He can move half a mile away if he so. wishes, which is exactly what he does. when he gets out. And side note, this is so angering, but. I do think that a lot of city officials, the prosecutor that worked on this case, and someone in Ansan that's making these.

horrible decisions, they should feel. guilt. They should feel shame for the. rest of their lives. Get this. Nayeoung's family were. struggling before Nayeoung's attack. Nayeoung's dad was a daily worker, meaning he would go out and offer manual. labor for the day. If someone needed his. services, he would make money. If they. didn't, he made no money. And the. problem is, at that point you're so. desperate for any money, you just take. any amount of work for any low cost. Nayeoung's mom was a housekeeper and. worked random other jobs to put food on.

the table. They did not have enough. money. After the attack, both parents. had to quit their jobs to take care of. Nayeoung, to make her feel emotionally. and mentally secure, and to help her. physically. Nayeoung received payments from the. Ansan city. Not a lot, okay? $5,000 to. help pay for the hospital expenses and. other things. But in June 2009, Nayeoung's health insurance came through. and paid the family $32,000. for the attack. The city of Ansan then. went to the family and demanded the.

return of $5,000. What? The city was going to demand full. repayment, and if Nayeoung's family did. not pay them back in full, they said. that they would stop any and all. government assistant payments to. Nayeoung's family. They said it is. principal. If you have a balance of more. than $2,300 in your bank account, you. will be excluded from all support by the. city. And the family just got paid. $32,000 in insurance money. You got to be me. Angry netizens were the only reason An.

San withdrew their letter and continued. all government assistant payments to the. family again. And the whole thing was. ridiculous. The government seemed more. than okay with paying so much in. taxpayer money to protect Cho and watch. over Cho as soon as he got his right to. freedom. It's kind of wild. Netizens. said it's like he's some sort of. incredible person that we as a society. need to protect. He's not even a. criminal with a high hope of reforming. From a logical standpoint, this is the. worst investment of taxpayer money.

That is so up because. Yes. What is the argument behind protecting. him? It's prevention, right? Prevention, yeah. Okay, then why aren't we preventing. protecting the victims? No. It's not prevention of Cho's crime. It's prevention of someone committing a. crime against Cho. what I'm saying. That's the up. part, right? Instead, the same amount of money could. totally be spent to protect the people. who needs to be protected.

Yes. Or just at that point, give a. million dollars to Na-young and her. family. Yeah. Let them move out of the country if they. must. Yes. Like what? Like. that's what I'm saying. Like they are. spending the money to prevent a crime. happening against him. Mhm. Why aren't we. use that money to to protect the people. who. has been hurt or could be hurt? Like the. kids and the victims. Yeah. It's the same logic. It's the same. reasoning. You're trying to prevent.

something from happening, right? See, like I don't even know how to wrap. my head around it, the fact that he is. one of the most well-protected man in. South Korea. And they're nickeling and diming. Na-young's family for $5,000. It got so bad that in 2009, lawyers from. the Korean Bar Association, the Human. Rights Committee, filed a lawsuit on. behalf of Na-young's family against the. state for the way that the prosecutors. handled the case. I believe she did. receive an undisclosed amount of. compensation, but typically in South.

Korea, it's not a big amount. I mean, it's going to be nothing compared to. what Na-young had to go through because. of them. To make the situation even more. frustrating, Cho will be living on government. assistance when he gets out. He will be. receiving $1,000 a month from the. government. It's unbelievable. A lot of people were angry for this for. obvious reasons, but also because he. didn't even pay taxes for the past 12. years. He was in jail for committing one. of the most heinous crimes known to. mankind. Why does he have the right to.

government assistance? A lot of netizens commented, "I'm. jealous. I don't have money, either, but. they're not giving me anything. This. bastard Cho Doo-soon gets to live and. eat off of our tax money. I don't. usually swear, but this is unfair.". Someone else commented, "I can't even. receive tax benefits while Cho Doo-soon. can receive them and eat well. I can't help but laugh.". The government did try to ease the. public, and they said, "Well, Cho is not. completely free, guys. We have.

limitations. He's going to wear a. GPS-enabled anklet 24/7 for 7 years. His. address and personal details will be. disclosed on a government website for 5. years, but after that, it will be. illegal for citizens to find him after 5. years and warn friends of his address.". Yeah, you could be sentenced to 5 years. in prison. Literally, why? Like, why? Why does it. matter 5 years later. we need to hide where he lives? Like, why? Even now, you could be arrested. So, for. example, if I told you if I was a Korean.

citizen and I told you where Cho lives, even through a private text message, like a KakaoTalk message, I could be. arrested. All I can say right now, even. though his address is on the government. website as of right now, is hey, go to. the government website to find his. address. What? But like, why can't we just all dox him. after 5 years and then state that we. were all drunk? We were in a state of temporary.

psychosis, of course. Cho was also assigned a one-on-one. parole officer and they stated it would. be 24-hour surveillance once Cho gets. out. Round-the-clock surveillance. And. the probation officer is permitted to. make random visits to Cho's home. But. even the probation officer was. interviewed and he said, "There is a. real possibility Cho will harm other. people and enact other extreme forms of. violence. Like, on the record, it says. I'm supposed to surveil him 24 hours a. day, but in reality, when he goes to. bed, we can't keep track of that. If. he's in his house before bed and drinks,

we can't really control that. We are. trying to do our best within the frame. of the law. And fine, he has to wear a GPS tracking. ankle bracelet for 7 years, but so what? The other offenders that NBC. interviewed, they had an ankle bracelet, they were at playgrounds. That doesn't alert anyone of anything. other than maybe where he is, but we. don't know where he is, with who he is. He could easily kidnap a kid and bring. them into his house. What would the. ankle bracelet tell? His probation. officer that he's safe at home? That's. it.

And it's only on for 7 years. Cho is prohibited from drinking more. than a certain amount of alcohol. His. blood alcohol concentration has to stay. below 0.03%, which is one drink if you drink it very. quickly. So, he's not even forbidden to. drink, which is wild considering the. whole reason he claims he committed this. crime was because he was drunk. But. they're like, fine, you can still drink. a little bit. He also has a curfew. He cannot leave. his house between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., which, okay, and what? What is that going to do for anyone? The.

attack on Na-young happened at 8:30 a.m. I don't know who came up with these type. of laws. Yeah. Like no kids are even outside typically. at 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Yeah. This curfew is masquerading as some sort. of big prevention tactic and it's very. odd. The whole half-mile radius around. Cho's house has also been designated as, quote, I kid you not, a woman safety. area. Wait, what does that mean? There's going to be heightened security.

presence there. Yeah. So it's safe for women is what it says? That's I guess the the naming of it, but. that doesn't None of this makes sense. First of all, the name is ironic and. second of all, Na-young was a child. Like what what? Clearly, women, full-grown women, are. not his target. Mhm. And I Nothing is being done to stop his. release. He has been released. I mean, nothing was done. I don't want to say. nothing so definitively. I'm not an.

attorney, nor am I part of the. government, nor do I know everything. that happened behind the scenes. But the. citizens, it seems like they're the only. ones that tried to prevent Cho's. release. They signed a petition. South. Korea has a population of around 52. million people. Of that, like 8 million. are children. 1.2 million people signed. a petition to keep him in some sort of. rehabilitation center after prison. Nothing was done. A professor of the Korean Institute of. Criminology said, "It's impossible to. isolate these criminals from society.

forever. The criminal system must ensure. that they reform when they return. Everybody hates offenders. We all know. that. The whole world hates them, but. their return is inevitable. They will be. back.". And Cho Doo-soon was coming back to. Ansan of all places. It doesn't even. appear that he has a strong network of. friends and family. So why Ansan? Like. why come to the place where everyone. hates you? I mean, everyone in Korea. hates you, but why not just move. somewhere quiet? You have no intention.

of getting a job. You're living on. government assistance. Move somewhere. quiet and live the rest of your life in. solitude and try to find some remorse. Him moving back to Ansan feels to. citizens and to Nayoung's family almost. like him saying, "Yeah, and what? What. are you going to do about it?". Nayoung's dad was interviewed by Chosun. Ilbo and he said, "How can Cho come back. to Ansan where his victim lives? I feel. like he's trying to retaliate by moving. back here.". Yeah, totally. matters worse, Cho allegedly wrote in. multiple letters to the judge that his.

last request, his last wish, wish. was to meet his victim again. Oh my god, that is so sick and twisted. Yeah. I feel like he knows that the victim. would read that or find out about it and. it would re-traumatize her. Yeah. And what intention. for someone like him to have? Like he's. he knows what this will do to the. victim. Yeah.

So, he's obviously doesn't have the. victim's interest in mind. So, he has. his own interest in mind. Which means he gets off on the victim. being in pain. Exactly. So, but he's free. It has been 12 years, but Nayoung has. been on this very slow, painful journey. of healing and it's not just like a. one-way road. It never is with trauma. You take three steps forward and 20. steps back. How can the government let. this man out? Nayoung's dad said, "My daughter still. has to wear a diaper at home. She has to.

carry the largest sanitary pads in her. bag when we go out. People won't know. how we feel as parents if they've never. experienced this before. I feel like a. sinner who can't even protect their own. child, but Cho is coming back near our. home. Does that make sense? Nayoung only watches cartoons as an. adult. She was 20 in 2020 when he was. released. She can't watch the news. She. can't watch crime thrillers. She will. faint if there is any depiction of a.

assault. But Cho, the monster who claims he's. reformed and is remorseful, he wants to. move to the town where the crime. happened, the city where he knows his victim still. lives. Na-young has been here her whole life. Her friends are here, the ones that. helped her through all of this, that. pulled her up. They're all in Ansan. Why. should she have to move? It might be the. only place in the whole world that she. was able to somewhat be comfortable in. The government offered Na-young's family. a smart watch that will detect a signal. if the perpetrator gets close. Her dad.

said, "That would just make them more. anxious. That's not a way to ease the. trauma." He said, "If the watch sends an. alert to my daughter, she will freak. out.". Oh my god. And it will make it easy for people to. identify her as the victim of the attack. and identify her as Na-young. Feels like like these government. officials are so out of touch. It's like they try to do things. to quote help because people demands it.

But I feel like if that's their family. member, they would not treat it this way. at all. I did see some netizens commenting some. enlightening things of when government. officials such as the prosecutor does. such things where you cannot understand. it and it almost feels like they're on. the perpetrator's side, it makes you. wonder, do they just relate to the. perpetrator more for whatever reason? Yeah. Because I just can't.

I I mean, the. all the netizens are saying it doesn't. matter what political party you're in, Na-young's case, it's a united front as. a nation. Everyone wants Cho dead or at. least in prison for the rest of his. life. So, it just it doesn't make sense. in people's minds what these government. officials are doing. Yeah. There is no logic. There's no rhyme or. reason. Yeah. At first, when Cho was released, I mean, absolute hell broke loose. There was a. squad probably of 20, 30 police officers.

surrounding the perimeter of his. apartment building 24/7 for weeks, months. The crowd chasing after Cho in. his government-issued vehicle when he. was released from prison. Like, that's. special treatment. Usually, prisoners. are required to find their own method of. transportation back home. The crowd. chased after the government vehicle, kicking it. YouTubers went and climbed. on top of the government car, jumping on. it. They were egging the car. The police. had to barricade a whole road from the. prison to Cho's house. The car was.

getting egged, flowered. Protesters are. ordering black bean noodles to the. apartment, trying to pose as food. delivery drivers to get into the. building to kill Cho. When that failed, they just sat and ate. black bean noodles in front of the cops. Which, honestly, the cops probably. didn't want to be there in the first. place, either. Like, I don't think any. single cop in their right mind wants to. protect Cho. Citizens went around to the back of the. building, turned off the gas line into. the building. They said, "You don't have hot water. You don't have gas to cook with.".

Some showed up with rocks to throw at. his window. Others brought frying pans. to bang on. It was a literal war zone. At least four people were arrested the. first day. They're going to be facing criminal. charges of obstruction of justice, destruction of property, and battery, which I hope they tell the judge that. they were drunk. But, after a few months, Ansan quieted. down, and there were no more angry. citizens with cartons of eggs. It was. just quiet. Residents don't feel safe in. their own city. One resident said, "What.

is the point of installing cameras?". Here's what they're saying when they. install cameras. "If there's an. incident, we will deal with it after it. happens. Cameras are not about. prevention. It's totally useless.". The playgrounds in Ansan feel like a. ghost town. It feels more like an. abandoned city's playground. This is a. town that has close to 716 residents. Sometimes you hear a swing squeaking, but it's just the wind. None of the kids. are on the playground. It feels like parents are anticipating a. monster around every corner.

But December 4th, 2023, just a month. ago, 9:00 p.m., the streets of Antan are. quiet, very quiet. Not a single soul goes out. at night without a care in the world. I. mean, everyone, if they're going out at. night, they've got a destination in. mind. They're avoiding alleyways. Children have curfews. Everyone except Cho Do-sun, cuz you. don't have to be scared of the monsters. when you are the monster. December 4th, 2023, 9:07 p.m.

Past Cho's curfew. He disappeared from surveillance. for 40 minutes. Cho is not allowed to leave his house. between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00. a.m. He was missing for 40 minutes. between 9:05 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. 40. minutes. You can walk half a mile within. 5, 10 minutes, depending on your walking. pace. So, let's say a mile takes you 15. to 20 minutes to walk. That still leaves. Cho with 20 minutes to do something. And. remember, Na-young's family home was. half a mile away.

In 2008, it only took Cho 30 minutes to. almost kill Na-young and then head back. home to change and fall asleep. He was out for 40 minutes. At 9:05 p.m., Cho leaves his house. He. walks out of the main gate of his. apartment, and there's this little booth. of police officers set up. They have to. have stationed police officers outside. 24/7. Uh-huh. He walks up to them. And he starts talking to them. They immediately tell him, "Go back. inside. You're breaking curfew. You're.

breaking the literal law." But he. refuses. He says, "I had a fight with my. wife. I just want to cool off.". As he's whining, the ankle bracelet. activates, and an officer is dispatched. to the scene. It takes a full 40 minutes. to either persuade, coerce, and. encourage Cho to get back into the. house. I don't know why force wasn't an. option here. Like he's clearly breaking. the law, so I don't know why they. couldn't force him physically, but 40. minutes. That they were talking? Yeah. To finally convince him to go back in. This incident happened just over a month.

ago and everyone is enraged. They asked, "What if Cho didn't walk to the police. officers out front? Did they even see. him? What if he just left somehow? Why. is it that children and these parents. have to live in fear every day of their. lives while he gets to break laws and. stroll out of his house whenever he. wants?". That sounds like enough reason to throw. him back in jail. Yes, but they won't. It also feels like. Cho is testing to see what he can get. away with. This feels like him pushing. the rules. Which I wouldn't be surprised. and it works because Cho is an expert at.

getting what he wants out of the Korean. justice system. Netizens are not happy with the incident. or the fact that Cho is free. One. commented, "Stop giving everyone. trouble. Just someone go over there and. cut his Achilles heel.". He approached the police first. I feel. like he's just testing to see if he. could get away with it next time. We should not underestimate Cho. If the. police had not been there at the post or. if they didn't see him, he could have. done something. Another netizen wrote, That's so crazy. It's like.

Like, you know, most time you hear a lot. of these police things like, "Oh, wow, they're just manhandling you." But over. here, they're having a peaceful. conversation. Like, "Please, please go. back home, please.". The prosecutors were yelling at Naeun E. to sit up straight. Yeah. And they're like, "Please, Cho, do us a. favor. Do us a solid.". I swear sometimes when I research these. cases, I feel like evil is rewarded. I don't understand.

Other people wrote, "I can't believe our. tax money goes to this guy for this one. devilish criminal.". Thankfully, Nayoung was safe in those 40. minutes because she no longer lives in. Ansan. The family had to move. The family. didn't have money. The local community. raised $100,000 to give them for all. moving costs and just life. Nayoung is. in college now, so to her college fund. as well. It's just incredibly kind and. Nayoung and her family were forever. grateful. They did not have the.

resources prior to this, but they're. still upset. Nayoung's dad said, "We. didn't want to run. We had no choice. I. also wanted to deliver a message that. the government did nothing but force the. victim to go into hiding. It was our. only option to move away. Many years. have passed and still nothing has. changed. The burden still falls entirely. on the victim.". He said that there needs to be much more. support for victims. He's scared that. there's going to be all this buzz and. attention after Cho's release and it's. going to disappear.

He said, "It'll be more helpful if. there's an appointed public official or. social worker who can keep in touch with. victims. Just once a month give us a. call, we'll feel more secure. All we want is to know that. just to say to victims, 'You are not. alone and we support you.' That's what. victims' families really want to hear.". "How do you think this makes us as. parents feel? When your child tells you they're scared. and we have to move away? Nayoung wanted Cho to be in prison for. 50 years. Instead, he gets 12 and now.

he's free and she's on the run.". Parents in Korea say, you know, they. they used to have a saying that you got. to enjoy your time with your daughter as. a little kid cuz once they become a. teenager, they don't want to hang out. with you anymore. But now knowing that there are more Cho. Doo-soons out there in the world and the. justice system is protecting them, a lot of parents say, "We want our girls. to grow up as quickly as possible.". Yeah. There have been some changes made. A. bill called the Cho Doo-soon law was. passed. It bans essay offenders of.

minors from going near schools and. leaving their homes at night and during. hours when students commute to and from. school, but that doesn't include. hagwons, tutoring centers, parks, the. mall, like other places where students. gather. The law has also been amended to. make it more difficult for defendants to. use alcohol intoxication as a defense, but it's still kind of left up to the. discretion of the judges. Even in 2019, just a few years ago, a 26-year-old male. essayed a college student. He claimed he. was drunk at the time. He received 3.

years in prison, but even that was. reduced to 4 years of probation. Outside, free. And even with Cho Doo-soon being a quote. free man, the government keeps making. reassurances to the public that he will. be closely watched. But now netizens. want to know, and then what? We're going. to spend all our taxpayer money on. trying to prevent Cho Doo-soon from. reoffending, but what about all the. other Cho Doo-soons? What about all the. other children being hurt? How do we. prevent all the other offenders from. offending and reoffending?

Data from the Ministry of Gender. Equality and Family revealed that only. about half of recorded crimes against. children 13 or younger resulted in a. jail sentence at all. What? With the other remainder receiving a. probation or a fine. This is between 2010 and 2015. About 61% of jail sentences were around. 1 to 5 years, and less than 10% of jail. sentences were more than 10 years. That's so crazy. And you know, knowing that Korea has. such a crazy law against drugs,

Yeah. you know, like. you are literally. dead if you do any type of drugs, and. here you are. Yeah. Some of the most vile crimes, and you. get like a couple years. So recently with the actor who passed, Right. and this Cho Doo-soon breaking his. curfew, a lot of netizens have been. saying, "Essay, murder? It's okay. We forgive you. Drugs? You're.

a dead man walking.". That is South Korea. Even the accusation of drugs. Yeah. I mean, I It's just crazy. A lot of. netizens said, "And the government. wonders why South Korea's birth rate is. declining?" I mean, there's a huge host. of reasons, economic, financial, socioeconomic, but the sentiment applies. that I mean, this is not just South. Korea, by the way. This is clearly in.

the US, as well. Why would we want to. raise our children in a world that does. not protect our children? One netizen commented, "I think it's. extremely important to note that on city. funds are literally being thrown away. trying to stop a criminal from being a. criminal. when it could be used to help a victim. and a family have a better chance at. life.". Another commenter just reads, "I hope he. dies of COVID-19." Heart emoji. When Cho was attacked with a hammer, one. comment read, "To the doctors of Cho. Doo-soon, this is exactly the time to.

make medical errors. If by mistake you. drop the scalpel and cut him in half, this is just a medical error, and all. the citizens will understand and support. you.". Another comment reads, "There's no way. to control someone like him. He's like a. fire that needs constant suppression, or. he will be out of control. And it feels. like nothing has changed with him, and. nothing has changed with the justice. system for the past 12 years.". And that is where we are with this case. What are your thoughts?

Yeah, I'm just I I just feel like this. is not the end of it. No, I Yeah, this is There's no way this. is the end of it. Yeah, like he's he's only been out for. how long, and. Yeah. Wow. Please, please leave your thoughts in. the comments and please, please be safe. and I will see you guys on Sunday for. another episode. Bye.