The education ministry will start conducting research with prison and correctional authorities on whether medical treatment can be an effective way to prevent sex offenders from repeating their crimes.

Public concern over recidivism among sex offenders has been high, especially given recent cases of repeat attacks targeting young girls.

The Justice Ministry introduced a system Wednesday to provide the National Police Agency with information on people who have served time for sex crimes against children aged under 13.

On May 18, a law was enacted that makes correctional education mandatory for inmates as part of their rehabilitation, particularly for sex offenders. Under the existing law, inmates typically engage in manual labor and have the choice of taking correctional programs.

There have been growing calls for introducing correctional education since a 7-year-old girl was kidnapped and murdered in Nara last year. The man who has admitted to the crime is a convicted child molester who served time in prison.

Despite such steps, researchers say there is no effective way to prevent the crimes of each sex offender, prompting some to look into the need for medical treatment.

According to the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry, researchers will compile and analyze data on sex offenders, with the help of a juvenile prison and a probation office. They will bear in mind that personality disorders, which may require medical treatment, may be one of the causes.