S.Korea kids to carry GPS beepers against sex crime

South Korea, shaken by several brutal sex crimes against minors, will supply children with GPS-embedded beepers to warn police of dangers and activate surveillance cameras, officials said Wednesday.

Some 1,200 elementary school children in Anyang City, south of Seoul, will receive the beepers in a test run from October.

Authorities will then consider adopting the system nationwide, the Ministry of Public Administration and Security said.

Each child will be able to use their matchbox-sized beeper, fitted with GPS (global positioning system) technology, to activate any nearby cameras and alert parents and police via mobile phone.

The government has strengthened monitoring of elementary schools after several crimes against children.

Police last month arrested a 44-year-old habitual sex offender for kidnapping an eight-year-old girl at her school in southern Seoul and raping her.

The National Police Agency has announced a plan to launch investigative units nationwide to tackle such crimes and declared "war" on child molesters.

(c) 2010 AFP