"What Happens After the Report Matters More"... Police Strengthen Public-Private Cooperation on Relational Crimes

'Seoul Safety Re-Design Day' Marks Its Third Session
Reviewing Collaborative Networks with Related Agencies for Victim Protection
Plans to Expand Integrated Support for Stalking and Dating Violence Victims

The police have joined hands with the Seoul Metropolitan Government to strengthen their response to relational crimes, including domestic violence, stalking, and dating violence.

On August 6, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that Commissioner Park Jeongbo, along with the heads of 31 police stations and 243 local police precincts and substations across the city, held meetings with local government officials throughout Seoul to discuss collaborative measures for responding to relational crimes.

Jungbo Park, Chief of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (first from left), and officials from related Seoul city organizations are taking a commemorative photo after holding an event to strengthen collaborative response to relational crimes. Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency

This event marked the third session of the 'Seoul Safety Re-Design Day,' a monthly program where the police, local government, and citizens jointly inspect the field according to designated themes. In May, the focus was student safety; last month, it was women’s safety.

Commissioner Park visited the Seoul Foundation of Women and Family to meet with officials from the Seoul One-Stop Support Center for Stalking Victims, the Seoul Digital Sexual Violence Support Center, and the Ministry of Justice's One-Stop Solution Center for Crime Victims, discussing cooperation measures for supporting victims.

At the same time, the heads of 31 police stations and 243 local precincts under the Seoul Metropolitan Police also held meetings with 1,479 representatives from 460 local organizations, including district offices, community centers, mental health welfare centers, and agencies specializing in child and elderly protection, to review operational plans for networks responding to relational crimes.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, there were 68,953 calls to 112 regarding relational crimes in Seoul in 2023, a 31.5% increase from the previous year’s 90,686 cases. In the first half of this year alone, 50,194 cases were reported, up 26.2% from 39,778 cases during the same period last year. This increase is attributed not only to heightened public awareness, but also to the growing practice of reclassifying cases initially reported as simple assaults into relational crimes during early response and investigation processes.

Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Jeongbo Park visited the Seoul Foundation of Women and Families in Dongjak-gu, Seoul on the 5th to discuss support cooperation measures for victims of relational crimes. Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency

Victims of domestic violence are supported through the integration of the police’s Socially Disadvantaged Protection Platform (SAN) and Seoul’s welfare information system, the Sonamu Center. Of the 4,372 crisis cases referred by the police in the first half of this year, 1,547 were monitored and support was provided in 1,173 cases.

For stalking and dating violence victims, support is expanded in cooperation with the Seoul One-Stop Support Center for Stalking Victims, including counseling, case management, private security, and legal, psychological, medical, and housing assistance. By next month, the police intend to establish two-way integration between the SAN system and Seoul’s welfare information system in the areas of stalking and dating violence. In addition, all 112 reports of relational crimes are classified as ‘Code 1’, the highest priority, to ensure the strongest possible response from the outset and prevent further harm by adhering to a policy of same-day investigations.

Commissioner Park stated, “Taking this roundtable as an opportunity, we will work to further solidify the collaborative model for responding to relational crimes.”

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