Announcement of Measures to Strengthen Response to Stalking and Dating Violence

The government has unveiled a comprehensive set of measures to respond to situations in which stalking and dating violence cases escalate into serious crimes such as murder. The Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and the National Police Agency announced the 'Strengthening Measures for Responding to Stalking and Dating Violence' on the 13th, and decided to promote 20 tasks across four areas: supplementing laws and systems, interagency cooperation, victim support, and improving public awareness. The measures include linking related systems so that police can track the location of stalking offenders fitted with electronic monitoring devices in real time, as well as preparations to implement a system that allows victims to directly petition the court for restraining orders and other measures. However, some have also evaluated them as merely a followup整理 of measures already in effect and existing countermeasures. Experts pointed out that, rather than the system itself, what is more important is strengthening the capability of investigative agencies so they can properly enforce it on the ground. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said it plans to enhance response capabilities by expanding training for investigative agencies and sharing case examples, and proposed legislating punishment for dating violence and victim protection as tasks to be pursued in the second half of the year.