Ministry of Justice Strengthens Electronic Monitoring Victim Protection System... Effective in Preventing Retaliatory Crimes

Operated for 4 Months, No Cases for Victims... Users More Than Double
Victim Protection App to Be Completed and Distributed On-Site in Second Half of This Year

The Ministry of Justice announced on the 9th that strengthening and operating the ‘Electronic Monitoring Victim Protection System’ for four months has proven highly effective in preventing retaliatory crimes.

The Ministry of Justice explained that after enhancing and operating the electronic monitoring victim protection system, there have been no cases of harm to victims so far. The strengthened system works by triggering an alarm at the control center when an electronic monitoring subject approaches within a certain distance of the victim, simultaneously sending the subject’s location via text message to the victim, and having probation officers or police dispatched to the scene to take protective measures for the victim.

According to the Ministry of Justice, since January 12 of this year, when the function of automatically sending approach information via text message to victims was applied, the number of users of the electronic monitoring victim protection system increased more than twofold, from 35 people (as of January 11) to 76 people (as of the end of April).

In cases of stalking crimes, where electronic devices are attached due to high concerns about retaliatory crimes, most victims have applied to use the electronic monitoring victim protection system, which includes the text alert service. Additionally, seven sexual violence victims who had not previously used the protection system have applied since the text alert function was implemented, showing a continuous increase in the number of users of the victim protection system.

Over the past four months, the Ministry of Justice immediately notified probation offices and police of 490 approach alarms requiring on-site action through the electronic monitoring victim protection system, instructing them to take measures. As a result, there have been no cases of harm to victims or successful actual approaches.

The Ministry of Justice is currently developing a victim protection ‘mobile app’ that will allow victims to use the protection system solely with their mobile phones without any additional protective devices, aiming to complete development and distribute it in the field during the second half of this year.

Furthermore, in preparation for the possibility that electronic monitoring subjects may damage electronic anklets to disable their functions and commit retaliatory crimes, the Ministry plans to actively attach reinforced electronic devices with significantly enhanced tamper-resistant performance to subjects at high risk of damage.

Park Seong-jae, Minister of Justice, stated, "Victims of crimes including stalking live in constant fear of retaliatory crimes throughout their lives. The Ministry of Justice will continuously review and improve the current victim protection system to block retaliatory crimes while enhancing convenience from the victim’s perspective, ensuring that victims do not experience any inconvenience in using the system."