Violent crimes up last year following eased COVID-19 restrictions: data
This June 21, 2022 file photo shows the National Police Agency building in Seoul. YonhapThe number of violent crimes that saw a significant drop in the initial years of the pandemic bounced back last year partially on eased social distancing measures, data showed Sunday.A total of 450,623 violent crimes were reported last year, up 7.4 percent from 419,683 cases the previous year, according to data from the National Police Agency submitted to Rep. Chung Woo-taik of the ruling People Power Party.The violent crimes include murder, robbery, rape and sexual assault, theft and violence.The number of such crimes logged 488,288 and 499,010 cases in 2018 and 2019, respectively, before plunging to 467,547 and 419,683 in 2020 and 2021, when social distancing measures were in place. Korea first introduced social distancing measures in March 2020, about two months after the initial outbreak.By the type of crimes, the number of murders fell from 775 cases in 2019 to 720 in 2020 and dove further to 652 in 2021, but it bounced back to 689 last year.The number of sexual crimes, including rape and ass
Jun 25, 2023