The shocking murder of a subway worker by her former co-worker inside the women's room of a metro station in Seoul last week revealed loopholes in the anti-stalking law, which has been in force for about a year. The suspect, surnamed Jeon, 31, who had stalked and killed his ex-colleague, showed the typical signs of a potentially violent stalker. However, the criminal justice system, including investigation agencies and courts, failed to prevent another victim from falling prey to a stalker due to their lethargy and complacency.
First, one can't help but question the court's decision on whether to arrest him. The victim filed a complaint with the police on Oct. 7 last year, as Jeon had forced her to meet him by making hundreds of phone calls and sending text messages since 2019, threatening to distribute illegally filmed footage. The police detained Jeon immediately and an arrest warrant was requested. However, the court reportedly rejected the request, saying there was no risk of him destroying evidence or fleeing. Concerns about harm to victims should also be one of the main criteria for determining arrest. However, the court does not seem to have contemplated this.
The steps police have taken to protect stalking victims have also failed to work properly. All the police did was register the victim as subject to safety measures for a month after the complaint was filed last October. Had the police blocked Jeon from approaching the victim at her home and workplace, it would have helped prevent the crime. They should reexamine from scratch the protection system for victims of stalking crimes.
The government should revise and supplement the anti-stalking law from the viewpoint of victims. The Ministry of Justice plans to abolish a provision waiving punishment on stalkers if victims do not want that and the National Assembly should pass the amendment immediately. Stalking is a form of violence, which considers the other person as a sexual possession and not a human being. The latest incident, which occurred six years after another appalling murder at Gangnam Station, shows women are still not guaranteed their dignity as citizens and workers.