Kim Eun-hye Proposes Amendment to Civil Procedure Act to Prevent Disclosure of Domestic Violence Victims’ Addresses

Additional Bill Proposed for Electronic Device Attachment to Monitor Domestic Violence Perpetrators

Eunhye Kim, a member of the People Power Party, has initiated legislative efforts to amend the law to prevent personal information, such as the addresses of domestic violence victims, from being exposed to perpetrators during divorce proceedings.

On September 11, Assemblywoman Kim announced that she has sponsored a revision to the Civil Procedure Act, which would allow courts to take protective measures for personal information ex officio, even if there is no application from a party to the proceedings.

The bill was proposed in response to a recent murder case in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. In this case, a woman in her 30s, who had reported domestic violence and was under protection, was murdered after her address, listed in the divorce petition, was disclosed to the perpetrator during divorce proceedings.

Eunhye Kim, Member of the People Power Party. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The existing law allows courts to protect personal information, such as addresses, so that it is not disclosed if there is a risk to the life or physical safety of a party involved in a case. However, these protections are generally provided upon the victim's application. This has raised concerns that victims who are unaware of the system or are unable to apply may still have their information exposed to perpetrators.

The proposed amendment enables the court to decide on protective measures for personal information ex officio if there is reason to believe that there is a potential risk, even if the victim does not submit a separate application.

During a press conference at the National Assembly on the same day, Assemblywoman Kim stated, "In this recent case, even though the victim reported the situation using a smart watch provided by the police, the tragedy could not be prevented." She added, "In addition to this proposal, I will also introduce another amendment that would allow electronic devices to be attached to perpetrators of domestic violence so that their location can be monitored in real time and prevent them from approaching victims."

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