South Korea toughened its law on mandatory chemical castration for repeat sex offenders in a bid to reduce sexual assault crimes.
The revised law allows courts to order chemical castration, regardless of the victim’s age, if the offender is determined by a group of specialists to be a sexual deviant or highly likely to commit the crime again, reports Korea Real Time. The law comes into effect on Tuesday.
The existing law imposed chemical castration on those who committed sex crimes against victims aged under 15.
The Daejeon District Court last month asked the Constitutional Court to rule on whether the law violates basic human rights.
Chemical castration works in the form of hormone suppressants that reduce sexual activity. It is apparently reversible when treatment is discontinued, raising questions on its effectiveness.
The treatment, considered as a human alternative to surgical castration, has been under debate over human rights concerns and possible side effects.
Last year, a repeat sexual offender known only as Park was ordered by the Ministry of Justice committee to undergo chemical castration. Four convicted pedophiles were also sentenced with the medication.
