How many electronic anklet violations were recorded in South Korea this year?

The Ministry of Justice recorded 599 violations between January and July this year. Of those, 590 involved breaches of curfew or stay-at-home orders.

How many people and officers are involved in South Korea’s electronic anklet monitoring system?

A total of 5,273 people were being monitored through GPS-tracked electronic anklets as of July, a 9.24 percent increase from the end of 2025. The number of monitored people is expected to exceed 5,500 by the end of this year, compared with 234 field officers as of August.

What risks do officers face while monitoring electronic anklet wearers?

Monitoring officers face physical assaults from people wearing electronic anklets. During the first eight months of this year, seven probation officers and five martial arts experts were assaulted, while the number of martial arts officers remained below the official quota.

Police short of officers to monitor electronic anklet wearers despite rising violations

Listen

Summary

Police are short of officers to monitor electronic anklet wearers in South Korea as violations rose between January and July this year. The Ministry of Justice recorded 599 violations, while 5,273 people were being monitored as of July. The number is expected to exceed 5,500 by year-end, even though only 234 field officers were assigned as of August.

Key Facts

590 of the 599 violations recorded through July involved breaches of curfew or stay-at-home orders.
Each field officer oversaw an average of 20.4 electronic anklet wearers at the end of July, up from 17.1 in 2022.
Special crime prevention units established in 2013 pair probation officers with martial arts experts to analyze wearers’ movements and catch violators.
There were 167 martial arts officers as of August, below the official quota of 170.
Seven probation officers and five martial arts experts were assaulted by electronic anklet wearers during the first eight months of this year.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 12, 2026 5:30 pm KST

An electronic ankle monitor / Korea Times file

Police are facing a shortage of officers to keep track of electronic ankle monitors, despite nearly 600 violations of relevant rules this year alone, data showed Monday.

According to the data submitted by the Ministry of Justice to Rep. Kim Han-kyu of the ruling Democratic Party, 599 violations were recorded between January and July this year, 590 of them breaches of curfew or stay-at-home orders.

The number of criminals monitored via GPS-tracked electronic anklets reached 5,273 as of July, up 9.24 percent from end-2025, and is expected to reach over 5,500 by year-end.

The number of field officers assigned to monitor them stood at only 234 as of August, the data showed. As of end-July, each officer oversaw an average of 20.4 anklet wearers, compared with 17.1 in 2022.

In 2013, the ministry established special crime prevention units, pairing a probation officer with a martial arts expert, to analyze the movements of anklet wearers and catch violators.

The number of martial arts officers stood at 167 as of August, falling short of the official quota of 170.

Field officers also face growing physical threats, with seven probation officers and five martial arts experts assaulted by wearers in the first eight months of this year, according to the data.

Explore More