Woman in her 40s under police protection killed 26 days after receiving smartwatch

【Financial News Jeju = Jeong Yong-bok】 A woman in her 40s who repeatedly reported being victimized by stalking and dating violence was fatally stabbed while being monitored under police safety measures. She was killed 26 days after receiving an emergency-alert smartwatch. Reports that no restraining order had been issued against the suspect have made the handling of previous reports, the risk assessment and the adequacy of protective measures for the victim central issues.
According to Jeju Western Police Station on the 12th, a man in his 60s identified as A is suspected of stabbing to death a woman in her 40s identified as B on a road near a hotel in Yeondong, Jeju City, at around 1:38 a.m. that day.
B was found lying on the road by a passerby. Police responded to a report and tracked A, who fled immediately after the attack, arresting him at around 5:08 a.m.—about three hours and 30 minutes later—on a road in Geonip-dong, Jeju City. A reportedly told police that he and B had been in a relationship and had broken up.
One notable aspect of the case is that the victim had repeatedly told police she feared for her safety before the attack. A police investigation found that B reported being stalked by A last October. She also reported being a victim of dating violence several times in May this year.
Taking into account the possibility of retaliatory violence, police designated B for crime-victim safety measures, registered her in the 112 emergency reporting system and monitored her.
The smartwatch was provided on September 16. Police said they had previously recommended that she receive one, but the victim declined. They recommended it again during subsequent case monitoring, and she accepted it.
However, B was killed just 26 days after receiving the smartwatch. The smartwatch, provided to protect crime victims, sends an alert and the user’s location to the police 112 emergency call center when its emergency button is pressed. The device B was wearing was reportedly operating at the time, but no emergency alert was received.
Another issue is the lack of a restraining order against the suspect. Although reports related to dating violence and stalking had previously been filed, no restraining order was reportedly issued against A.

The Act on the Punishment, etc. of Stalking Crime provides that police may impose emergency measures prohibiting someone from coming within 100 meters of a victim or others when stalking is likely to continue or recur and urgent action is needed to prevent a crime. A court may also order interim measures, including a ban on approaching the victim, if it deems them necessary for an investigation into a stalking crime or to protect the victim.
The case, in particular, underscores the need to assess how effective the protection system is, given that a murder occurred even though police were aware of the victim’s risk situation and were monitoring her under safety measures.
Cases of victims receiving police safety measures and then suffering violent crimes are continuing to occur across the country.
According to data submitted by the National Police Agency to Seo Myeong-ok, a People Power Party lawmaker on the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee, there were 30 cases from 2022 through July this year in which people designated for crime-victim safety measures were victims of murder or attempted murder: 17 murders and 13 attempted murders. All the victims were women.
Last year, 51,950 repeat reports related to stalking and dating violence were filed nationwide. Of these, 40,412—77.8%—were reports made three or more times.
Reports of dating violence are also increasing in Jeju. According to the Jeju Police Agency, 819 calls to the 112 emergency line concerning dating violence were made from January to May this year, up 16.5% from 703 in the same period last year. The number of people booked as criminal suspects also rose 50.8%, from 59 to 89.
This is why turning repeated reports into effective prevention of harm has emerged as a major challenge for police. In particular, providing a smartwatch and restricting a perpetrator’s access are measures with different purposes and characteristics, making a comprehensive assessment based on the level of risk essential.
Police are investigating A’s motive, whether the crime was premeditated and the specific circumstances of the case. They plan to seek an arrest warrant once the investigation is complete.


[email protected] Jeong Yong-bok Reporter