Residents living near discharged serial rapist demand eviction

Park Byung-hwa, a serial rapist, was released from prison on Oct. 31 and lives in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. Several restrictions have been added to ease residents' anxiety, but calls for eviction still continue.

The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office said Thursday that the court had passed the prosecution's request for additional measures to extend Park Byung-hwa's curfew. The original curfew was from midnight to 6 a.m., and the court’s order added three additional hours, now 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

In addition, restrictions were added to prohibit his access to facilities related to children and adolescents, including elementary, middle and high schools and colleges.

Earlier, the court has decided to attach a location tracking device to Park for 10 years, prohibiting him from going out at night, and have ordered him to received regular psychiatric counseling and drug treatments to restrain sexual impulses.

These additional measures were taken to prevent recidivism and ease the anxiety of local residents, but complaints from residents remain. Residents hold rallies twice a day demanding his eviction.

Park was released from prison after serving 15 years for breaking into several buildings and sexually assaulting ten women in their 20s from December 2002 to October 2007.