Korean crime psychologist named one of BBC's 100 women of 2019

By Kang Seung-woo

Lee Soo-jung, a renowned forensic psychologist, has been named on the BBC's list of the 100 most influential and inspirational women this year.

Lee Soo-jung

The British broadcaster has selected 100 influential and inspirational women around the world every year since 2013. This year's theme was: “What would the future look like if it were driven by women?”

“As a forensic psychologist, I want the future to be a safe place for my children,” Lee told the BBC.

Lee was one of 19 women in the leadership category. The other fields were earth, knowledge, creativity, sport and identity.

“Forensic psychology professor Lee Soo-jung has worked on numerous high-profile murder cases in Korea,” the BBC said. “Based at Kyonggi University in Seoul, she has challenged the legal system, helping to introduce an anti-stalking bill.

“She believes stalking leads to more serious crimes in many cases, where the majority of the victims are vulnerable women.”

Lee, regarded as among the nation's first-generation criminal profilers, has been committed to forensic analysis, while giving lectures to the public.

She also served as a member of the Supreme Court's Sentencing Commission, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's sexual violence taskforce and the National Police Agency's reform committee. She is the author of seven books as well.

Others on the BBC list include Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg, Malaysian transgender activist Nisha Ayub, Japanese sumo wrestler Hyori Kon and Indian human rights activist Parveena Ahanger.

Thunberg, 15, who has been leading the “Fridays for Future” movement, in which students skip class on Fridays to protest against climate change, urged governments to take more measures to tackle the climate issue.