Preventing Stalking Murders: Blocking Victim Access by Electronic Anklet Wearers

National Police Agency and Ministry of Justice
to Jointly Respond to High-Risk Individuals

When a criminal wearing an electronic location-tracking device (electronic anklet) is given a restraining order for committing stalking or domestic violence offenses, the police and the Ministry of Justice will now share information and jointly respond to ensure victim safety.

The National Police Agency and the Ministry of Justice announced on July 5 that they have established a joint response plan for high-risk individuals, which will go into effect starting July 6. If it is determined that the victim requires protection, police officers and probation officers will be dispatched together.

Seodaemun-gu Police Agency, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

This measure was introduced to prevent the recurrence of incidents like the stalking murder case in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, in March. At that time, Kim Hoon, who was wearing an electronic anklet, had been issued a restraining order for stalking, but this information was not shared between the police and the Ministry of Justice, resulting in the failure to prevent the perpetrator from approaching the victim.

Since January 2024, under the Stalking Punishment Act and the Electronic Device Attachment Act, information about individuals who have been ordered to wear a location-tracking device during the investigation phase (provisional measure 3-2) has been shared. However, there had been no system or procedure for sharing information or coordinating responses when someone already wearing an electronic anklet due to specific crimes—such as sexual assault, murder, abduction of a minor, robbery, or stalking—was subsequently given a restraining order for stalking or domestic violence.

On June 23, the two agencies completed the integration of their systems and agreed to work together immediately if a monitored individual attempts to approach a victim. To prevent confusion and ensure systematic cooperation, standard protocols for field response have also been established. If the individual approaches the victim, the probation officer will be dispatched to the perpetrator, while the police officer will be dispatched to the victim at the same time.

Yu Jaeseong, Acting Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, stated, "We have taken the Namyangju murder case as a lesson and established a response system focused not on the perpetrator's 'past crimes,' but on 'current and potential risk indicators.' "He added, "Through close information cooperation with the Ministry of Justice, we will thoroughly isolate perpetrators from the initial stages of approach, creating a robust safety net."

Minister of Justice Jeong Seongho emphasized, "The two agencies have come together to boldly break down information barriers," and added, "We have laid the groundwork for providing much stronger protection for victims of stalking and domestic violence than in the past."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.