South Korea Launches Task Force on Stalking and Dating Violence After Namyangju Murder

A government task force launched Monday to develop countermeasures against stalking-related murders and dating violence incidents. The group was jointly established by the justice ministry, the gender equality ministry, the prosecution and the police.

The task force announced 20 measures across four areas: strengthening laws, enhancing interagency collaboration, expanding victim support and raising awareness of relationship-based violence.

It said it will tighten the effectiveness of restraining orders against potential perpetrators and assign two private bodyguards to protect high-risk victims. The measures target shortcomings in laws, systems and responses highlighted by recent cases, including a stalking murder in Namyangju in March.

Kim Hoon, a 44-year-old resident of Namyangju, was arrested that month for killing his 27-year-old ex-girlfriend while wearing an electronic ankle monitor.

The victim had been wearing a smartwatch under police protection and the suspect was subject to multiple restraining orders. An amendment to the Act on Punishment of Crime of Stalking will take effect in April. It will introduce a victim protection order system that lets stalking victims apply directly to the court for protection.

A separate system began last month to notify victims of the locations of perpetrators wearing electronic ankle bracelets and to provide court-appointed lawyers in certain violent crime cases. Since July 6 the police and the justice ministry have shared information when a person wearing an ankle monitor for a sex crime becomes subject to a restraining order in another case.

The justice ministry has finished developing a specialized psychological treatment program to assess recidivism risks among stalking offenders.