Police to Conduct Full Review of Relationship-Based Crimes, Push Measures to Prevent Repeat 'Stalking Murder' Cases

According to The Financial News, the police have decided to conduct a full review of all relationship-based crime cases currently under investigation or supervision, using the Namyangju stalking murder case as a turning point, and to push for institutional reforms.
On the 18th, Acting Commissioner General Jaesung Yoo of the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) held a virtual leadership meeting with the heads of each Metropolitan Police Agency and police station, and ordered these strengthened response measures for relationship-based crimes.
The meeting was convened in response to the recent stalking murder in Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, to review the police response and reaffirm the commitment to preventing similar crimes. Acting Commissioner Yoo pointed out that the police response was inadequate, noting that the offender was already subject to an ankle monitor and considered at high risk of reoffending, yet no effective measures were taken to physically separate him from the victim.
In response, Acting Commissioner Yoo ordered that, from March 18 through April 2, the heads of each police station personally take responsibility for conducting a full review of all relationship-based crime cases under investigation or supervision, including stalking. He also instructed that high-risk offenders be subject to detention, the imposition of ankle monitors, and requests for custody where applicable.
Given the seriousness of the situation, the full review will first focus on roughly 15,000 cases currently under police investigation. It will then be expanded to include individuals under protective measures such as emergency or temporary orders, as well as cases reported two or more times in the past three months. For relationship-based crimes, the police also plan to interview victims as quickly as possible—on the day the report is filed, including through in-person visits—and to strengthen protection, safety, and separation measures.
Alongside the full review, the police will also pursue institutional reforms to prevent recurrence. Based on problems identified through internal audits, they plan to comprehensively examine issues such as more effective methods of separating offenders from victims, information sharing on ankle monitor subjects with the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), and linking ankle monitors with smartwatches.
On the same day, Acting Commissioner Yoo expressed condolences and regret to the victim and her family, and stressed the need for swift audits and strict action against those responsible. Addressing the heads of Metropolitan Police Agencies and police stations, he emphasized that protecting victims of relationship-based crimes is a core duty of the police, and ordered them to take the strongest possible measures within the bounds of the law and existing systems.
Earlier, on the morning of March 14 in Onam-eup, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, a man in his 40s identified as A, who was wearing an ankle monitor, murdered a woman in her 20s with whom he was in a de facto marital relationship. The victim was already under police protection, and she had filed a report immediately before the crime, yet the tragedy was not prevented, sparking controversy over the police response.
On March 16, President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea also criticized the handling of the Namyangju stalking murder case, saying, "The response of the relevant authorities was slow and fell far short of public expectations." He then ordered that officials responsible for the situation be audited and dealt with strictly.
Following this, the Audit and Inspection Office of the Korean National Police Agency immediately launched an internal investigation into allegations of inadequate police response. The office plans to closely examine the entire handling process of the case and take stern action based on the findings.
welcome@fnnews.com Jang Yoo-ha Reporter