Accidental crimes on the rise in South Korea?

Updated: Korea Herald, April 24, 2013

The key numbers here (from yesterday's Korea Herald) in an article about rape in Korea.

* In 2011: 22,034 rapes were reported, according to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in Korea.
* Of those, 18,591 cases resulted in arrests with a total of 18,880 offenders being convicted.
*Only 12 percent of those found guilty, or 2,289, were sentenced to jail time.
* Based on a 2010 survey by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, it is believed that the sexual crime reporting rate in Korea is about 10 percent.
The article provides some information about what to do after getting raped, phone numbers to call. I don't mean to dismiss those things, but obviously the reporter ran out of space addressing: "How to protect yourself" or "How to reduce the chance you'll be raped."

Sun-Flower Women and Children’s Centerl. (Lee Sang-sub/The Korea Herald)

This site (in an article written by James Fenske) advises:

* Be armed
* Be alert when out as well as when home
* Be careful about drinking too much
* Take physical defense classes

I know the Mayor of Seoul has dubbed himself the "Welfare Mayor," is focused on tourism and shutting down profitable businesses, but one practical thing he could do is to distribute pepper spray and other self-defense items to women in the city.

* * *

from August 27, 2010

The Korea Times has a breakdown on the increase in violent crimes in South Korea.

A few things caught my attention:

The NPA’s white paper also reported that police apprehended 2.33 million criminals across the nation in 2009. (bold added by me)

I'm no bleeding heart liberal when it comes to criminals, but being arrested doesn't make you a criminal. Giving the reporter or translator the benefit of the doubt, I will guess it means that these people have already been prosecuted, so it is safe to call them criminals?

Of the 2.33 million [people arrested in Korea last year], 448,420 committed crimes “by accident,” accounting for 19.2 percent of the total.

So that means that the other 80.8% committed the crimes "on purpose"?

The reporter doesn't mention whether or not crimes committed on accident are also on the rise.

The reporter then adds an editorial comment, in bold here:

The recidivism rates for robbery, arson, violence, theft and rape stood at 64.7 percent, 65.7 percent, 54 percent, 50 percent and 47.9 percent, respectively, indicating a more effective rehabilitation program should be introduced for violent criminals while they are in jail to stop them from repeating offenses.

Why is that the conclusion? Perhaps it is "indicating" that the death penalty needs to be used more often or that criminals need to spend more time in jail before being returned to society.
A couple of random statistics I'll bookmark here for future reference.
* However, five types of violent crime — murder, robbery, rape, theft and violence — jumped 8.4 percent to 590,087 last year from 544,527 in 2008.
* The number of murders soared 24 percent to 1,374 nationwide over the one-year period, while robberies surged 32 percent to 6,351.
* The number of burglaries reached 256,423, up 15 percent from 2008, with rape and other sex crimes rising 6.4 percent to 18,351.
* Murders occurred most frequently from July through September when the weather was hot and humid. Robberies took place most often in May.
The article also mentions various measures police have taken to stop crime.
I'm sure there was a previous article hailing those measures.

CJL

Rich talking back

The rich are talked about very often in negative terms, but how often do the rich respond in kind? Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart, who inherited most of her money but apparently has also done very well with it, recently railed against class warfare and had some advice for the non-rich : "There is no monopoly on becoming a millionaire," she writes. "If you're jealous of those with more money, don't just sit there and complain. Do something to make more money yourself - spend less time drinking, or smoking and socializing and more time working." She complained about politicians raising taxes, regulations that slow investment, and other anti-business policies that harm the poor. "If you want to help the poor and our next generation, make investment, reinvenstment and businesses welcome."

Common Sense on North Korea (Korea Times, April 2, 2012)

By Casey Lartigue, Jr. As interesting as Kookmin University professor Andrei Lankov’s writings are, there is nothing quite like attending one of his lectures. He can barely restrain himself behind the podium, often pointing and waving his arms. I also enjoy his unscripted speeches, but his answers in Q&A sessions are like the difference between watching Michael Jordan shoot baskets in warm-ups and an actual game. I have finally discovered the secret behind Lankov’s consistently solid analysis about North Korea: Use common sense. At an Asan Institute conference last summer, he argued that North Korea watchers should try to understand North Korea from its perspective. Don’t most people know that you must understand the mindset of others you are dealing with? Yet, common sense in theory gets ignored politically. From the North Korean perspective, nuclear weapons are the best thing they’ve got going. They will NOT give them up easily, even if President Obama ...

Random photos from today

I went walking around today. Whereas some people like to go walking in the mountains, I enjoy walking around in the city. Well, not D.C. or other cities with many homeless, crazy and/or armed people walking around... * * * Here's where I had lunch today. About $1.90 for a hamburger hamberger. * * * Ha-ha! Bet you never would have guessed that Batman is a drinking place in Korea! * * * Man Clinic? The Koreans walking by seemed to be very curious about why I was taking a photo of a "Man Clinic." They may know something I don't know...Actually, I wasn't curious enough to go in and find out what it was... * * * Right down the street from the Man Clinic...there's a Love Shop! I love the euphemism. "Love Shop" sounds much better than Sex Shop. I'm guessing that if you don't go to the "Love Shop" to buy condoms that you may need to visit the Man Clinic a short time later? * * * Nobo...

To be a good volunteer, use your brain (Korea Times, December 5, 2012)

By Casey Lartigue, Jr. There is probably an unwritten rule that a celebrity offering to do volunteer work for a good cause should immediately be embraced. Well, that’s not what happened to Jeong So-dam, the glamorous Korean cable TV announcer when our paths crossed on Nov. 29. Ms. Jeong was the MC of an event about American political philosophy hosted by the Association for Economic Evolution. During my speech about American libertarianism since 1940, I discussed my volunteer work for North Korean refugees. After the speech, Jeong approached me, asking how she could help. I gave her the same tough love I give to potential volunteers by asking: “Who are you?” After all, if you are Bill Gates, then open your wallet. If you speak four languages, then help with translation work. So I first stress to potential volunteers: Use your brain. Tell us about your skills and interests so together we can figure out your initial role. Jeong was good-natured about it, rather than c...

Why I won't go to North Korea (Korea Times, December 27, 2012)

By Casey Lartigue, Jr. “Have you ever been to North Korea?” This is the question I am almost always asked here in South Korea when people learn that I have become an activist for North Korean escapees. My response is curt: “No.” “Do you plan on going?” they ask next. My answer remains the same: “No.” When they start to ask a follow-up question, I cut them off: "No." People are often just trying to make conversation, I know, but I am blunt for a reason: I am not interested in going to North Korea as long as North Koreans are held captive. I could go one day, but for now, I can do without a government-guided tour by " men-stealers and women-whippers ," to borrow a phrase from American abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison. I don’t mean to criticize people who have gone to North Korea for political, educational, business, religious reasons or just plain curiosity. However, some people push me on the issue, ― and I push back. A good friend wh...

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