Jinju Stalking Suspect Detention Denied... Women's Groups Demand "Proper Application of the Law"

The Jinbo Party Gyeongnam Provincial Party and the Gyeongnam Women's Solidarity are urging strong punishment for stalking offenders in front of the Gyeongnam Provincial Government Office. / Photo by Se-ryeong Lee ryeong@

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Se-ryeong] Before the shock of the Seoul Sindang Station murder case had fully subsided, on the 20th, a detention warrant for a man in his 20s who broke into a house through a gas pipe and assaulted his girlfriend in Jinju, Gyeongnam, was dismissed, sparking backlash from women's organizations in the Gyeongnam region.

According to the police, male suspect A continued to follow female suspect B even after she notified him of their breakup around 11:10 p.m. on the 19th. Despite warnings from police who responded to B's report, A committed home intrusion and assault the next day.

A took B's phone, which she was about to use to call the police, and assaulted her. Thanks to a call connected to 112, the police arrived at the scene and arrested A in the act.

The police applied for a detention warrant for A, but it was dismissed. Additionally, a provisional measure No. 4, which would have isolated the perpetrator in a detention center for a month due to concerns of retaliation, was also rejected.

The Jinju branch of Changwon District Court reportedly dismissed the warrant, stating that there was no risk of flight or evidence destruction, and considering the severity of the crime and the risk of reoffending, detention was difficult to justify.

The Gyeongnam Women's Welfare Counseling Center and Facility Council held a press conference demanding strict punishment for stalking offenders and amendments to the Stalking Punishment Act. [Image source=Changwon Jungbu Police Station]

On the 26th, the Progressive Party Gyeongnam Provincial Party and Gyeongnam Women's Solidarity issued a statement condemning the dismissal of the detention warrant in front of the Gyeongnam Provincial Government Office, while the Gyeongnam Women's Welfare Counseling Center and Facility Council held a protest in front of the Changwon District Court.

They unanimously demanded ▲ the abolition of the conditional prosecution clause in the Stalking Punishment Act ▲ the enactment of the Stalking Victim Protection Act ▲ revision of the legal wording named ‘continuous, repetitive’ ▲ application of Article 70, Clause 2 of the Criminal Procedure Act regarding detention reasons ▲ and detention and investigation of perpetrators.

The Justice Party Gyeongnam Provincial Party stated, “Releasing the perpetrator without detention on the grounds of no risk of flight or evidence destruction is a complacent response that disregards women's fear and anxiety, and a tragic ruling,” adding, “Complacent measures and weak punishments cannot stop the series of women's deaths.”

According to data presented by the provincial party from the provincial police agency, from January to August this year, there were 989 personal protection measures, and from October last year to August this year, there were 1,323 stalking crime reports.

The party emphasized, “545 people were criminally charged, but only 22 were detained, while the remaining 523 were released without detention,” and “Among 2,185 stalking victims in their 20s who were judicially processed this year, 1,113 were women.”

Lee Nari, director of the Gyeongnam Women's Welfare Counseling Center, said, “The Stalking Punishment Act has been controversial since its enactment in 2021 due to the conditional prosecution clause,” and argued, “If the victim withdraws the complaint under threats from the perpetrator to settle, the perpetrator cannot be punished under the law.”

She continued, “I have never seen Article 70, Clause 2 of the Criminal Procedure Act, which includes the risk of reoffending and harm to the victim and important witnesses, being applied,” and sharply criticized, “Failing to properly apply the law and causing victims to die is a dereliction of duty by the judiciary.”

Director Lee raised her voice, saying, “Current victim protection measures include ordering the perpetrator to stay at least 100 meters away from the victim, providing the victim with a smartwatch, and patrolling the victim’s surrounding area,” and stressed, “The approach should be changed to impose sanctions on the perpetrator.”