"I'll kill you": Five Years Since the Act on the Punishment of Stalking Crimes, Victims Still Live in Fear

[Financial News] Although it has been five years since the Act on the Punishment of Stalking Crimes was enacted, related offenses are on the rise. One key reason is that the burden of proving the repetitive and persistent nature of stalking falls on the victim. Considering that some victims are too afraid of retaliation to even file a report, the actual scale of harm is likely much greater.
According to the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) on the 22nd, the number of reports of stalking victimization increased from 4,513 in 2020 to 14,509 in 2021, 29,565 in 2022, 31,824 in 2023, and 31,947 in 2024, showing a steady upward trend each year.
A significant portion of stalking crimes stem from obsessive behavior by individuals who cannot accept the end of a relationship. Repeated contact or approaching someone beyond acceptable boundaries after being told to stop constitutes stalking. The Act on the Punishment of Stalking Crimes stipulates that offenders may face up to three years in prison or fines of up to 30 million won.
Violating a restraining order can result in up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won. Such orders are temporary measures issued by the court to immediately protect victims. Even before investigations or trials conclude, victims may remain at risk, so courts may prohibit offenders from approaching or contacting victims, or in some cases, order their isolation.
In May, the Daegu District Court fined an individual, referred to as A, 6 million won under the Act on the Punishment of Stalking Crimes. Despite receiving a police warning and a formal notice regarding stalking, A called their ex-partner 69 times. The individual also visited the victim in person, threatened them, and shouted, "I'll kill you."
Cases of continued stalking even after restraining orders are not uncommon. In April of this year, an offender identified as B was fined 2 million won for committing a stalking crime. B was found to have visited the victim's business, followed them, demanded to meet again, and threatened to kill the victim's family. B was also charged with violating restraining order No. 2 (prohibiting approach within 100 meters) and No. 3 (prohibiting communication via mobile phone and other means).
There have also been a series of violent incidents in which stalking victims have been fatally stabbed or seriously injured by offenders wielding weapons. On July 26, in Uijeongbu-si, a woman in her 50s who was under protective measures for stalking was murdered by a perpetrator she met at work. Two days later in Ulsan Metropolitan City, a man in his 30s stabbed a woman in her 20s, whom he had been stalking, causing serious injuries. On July 29 in Daejeon, a woman in her 30s was killed by her ex-boyfriend, a man in his 20s.
Some point out that, even after the Act on the Punishment of Stalking Crimes was established, victims still struggle to prove the repetitive and persistent nature of stalking, resulting in ongoing harm. A senior officer in the Women and Juvenile Affairs Division at a local police station in Seoul explained, "How often someone called can be proven with call records, but how often they visited is difficult to prove without CCTV footage." Tae Yeon Kim, head attorney at Taeyeon Law Office, noted, "Victims may encounter offenders unexpectedly and be unable to record the incident, making it hard to secure evidence."
Experts agree that in order to eradicate stalking crimes, investigative and judicial agencies must enhance their expertise. Song Ranhee, head of Korea Women's Hot-Line, emphasized, "Stalking crimes are particularly dangerous because they can escalate into more serious offenses such as assault or murder." She advised, "There needs to be an increase in dedicated personnel who understand the unique characteristics of stalking crimes to ensure proper analysis."
jyseo@fnnews.com Seo Ji-yoon Reporter