This study involves a comprehensive examination on ‘sex offender registration and community notification policy in Korea focusing on both process uation on how current registration and community notification policy are administered and outcome uation on the effectiveness of registration and community notification. In Korea, most of policies on sex offenders were launched without empirical research and/or comprehensive understanding on the sex offenders and sex crimes they commit, rather they are resulted from the moral panic of public on the sex offenders.
Korean version of sex offender registration and community notification is initiated in 2000 and regulations are modified several time since then. However, few uations have been conducted, and thus little of the empirical studies reflected on the modification on the registration and community notification regulations.
This study includes both (a)comprehensive review on how current sex offender registration and community notification regulations are administered and (b)the assessment on the effectiveness of the registration and community notification policy. Ultimately, this research aims to contribute on the understanding of current practice on the registration and community notification regulations and what should be done to improve on the implementation on the regulations. In addition, specific assessment on the effectiveness embraces both intended and unintended consequences of regulations on sex offender themselves, their family members, and the public.
Specific aims of effectiveness uation includes (1)to examine whether sex offender registration and community notification regulations have the intended effect on the prevention first time sex offenses; (2)to assess whether registration and community notification policy have the intended effect on the prevention of sexual recidivism for registered and notified sex offenders; (3)to examine whether registration and notification policy enhance the public awareness of the sex crimes and self-protective behaviors; and (4)to examine whether registration and community notification policy have the unintended effect on the registered sex offenders and their family members.

Diverse kinds of data and research methods are utilized for the current study including review of relevant literature and legal cases, examination of relevant secondary data including official crime statistics and characteristics of sex offenders on internet registry, survey data with registered sex offenders and the public, and focus group interview with relevant interest group and officials who are in charge of administration of the regulations, victims of sex crimes, and advocates for sexual assault victims.
The study conduce with the discussion on the effects of sex offender registration and community notification regulations considering balancing the right of sex offenders and demands for public awareness. In addition, policy implications are discuss with critical review of the law amendment on the sex offender registration and community notification.