Stalking Reports Soar in South Korea as Tougher Laws Spur Reporting and Reveal Protection Gaps

A wave of reports follows new anti stalking law

Reports of stalking in South Korea have climbed sharply in the wake of legal reforms, with government figures showing a rapid rise in cases filed and a broader public willingness to seek help. Ministry of Justice data provided to lawmakers shows 13,269 stalking cases reported nationwide in 2024, up from 7,626 in 2022. In the first seven months of this year, 7,981 additional cases were filed. If the pace holds, the 2025 total will likely exceed last year’s figure.

The jump coincides with a fundamental change in how the justice system treats stalking. South Korea enacted the Act on Punishment of Crime of Stalking in October 2021, ending years in which stalking complaints were often handled as minor public order offenses. The law defines stalking as repeated or continuous unwanted conduct that induces fear or anxiety, and it carries a penalty of up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won. A revision in 2023 removed a controversial clause that allowed suspects to avoid punishment if victims withheld consent, addressing a major barrier to prosecution.

The shift did not occur in isolation. A series of high profile cases, including the killing of a 28 year old Seoul Metro employee at Sindang Station in 2022 after she reported persistent harassment, sparked protests and prompted calls from women’s rights groups for stronger prevention and faster intervention. Civil society pressure and heightened media scrutiny helped elevate stalking from a private complaint to a public safety priority.

The trend line underscores the scale of change. Only 406 cases were reported during the first three months under the new law in late 2021. By the end of 2023, more than 10,400 cases had been filed. The rise suggests both greater reporting and more robust enforcement, even as gaps remain in victim protection and court ordered safeguards.

What changed in the law

The 2021 statute offered the first comprehensive legal definition of stalking in South Korea and set penalties that reflect the risk of escalation to physical harm. It covers repeated or continuous acts such as approaching or following a target against their will, waiting or loitering near a victim’s home, workplace, or school, sending unwelcome messages or images, damaging property in a way that causes fear, distributing personal information, and impersonation. Continuous or repeated conduct can be charged as a crime that is punishable by up to three years in prison or a fine of 30 million won, or up to five years and a higher fine if a weapon is used. Violating court orders can lead to additional penalties.

Emergency and court protections

Police can take urgent steps when they receive a stalking report. These include restraining the act, separating the suspect and the victim, issuing orders that prohibit the suspect from approaching within 100 meters of key locations, and banning phone calls, text messages, or online contact directed at the victim. Victims may be relocated to a shelter if there is a serious risk of further harm. Under the law, judicial police can issue urgent emergency measures that require prompt court review, while prosecutors can seek provisional court orders that include restraining orders, detention where warranted, and in certain cases electronic monitoring. The statute also sets out procedures for changing or revoking measures and mandates the protection of victim identity.

The 2023 revision

The National Assembly removed the consent to punishment clause in 2023, after women’s groups argued that stalkers frequently pressured victims into withdrawing complaints. Lawmakers from across the aisle backed the change at a plenary session, calling it a necessary fix to ensure that prosecutions proceed based on evidence and risk, not on the suspect’s leverage over a terrified victim. Leaders of advocacy groups described the move as overdue after years of campaigning.

Song Ran hee, head of the Korea Women’s Hotline, welcomed the change while criticizing the delay. She said the original clause fundamentally misunderstood the dynamics of stalking, where fear of retaliation often silences victims.

It is something that should have been done years ago. We had expressed grave concerns on the matter since the legislation of the initial anti stalking law and repeatedly called on the government to eliminate the unreasonable clause.

Protective orders are not keeping pace

Even as filings increased, court approvals for emergency and provisional protective measures have slipped. Data cited by lawmakers shows that court approval of prosecutors’ emergency measures dipped from 98.4 percent in late 2021 to 98.1 percent in 2022, 97.9 percent in 2023 and 95.8 percent in 2024, falling further to 93.3 percent as of July this year. Approvals for requests made by judicial police also declined, from 94.1 percent in 2022 to 92.2 percent in 2024. Meanwhile, approval rates for prosecutors’ requests for longer lasting provisional measures have remained around 84 percent.

The numbers concern advocates because provisional measures are critical for stopping harassment from escalating. Restraining orders, relocation to secure facilities, and bans on electronic contact are meant to create time and space for safety planning. Falling approval rates, even from a high base, mean more victims return home without court backed protection while the risk remains present.

Rep. Jeon Hyun heui of the Democratic Party argued that the judiciary should act more decisively when prosecutors or police present credible risk assessments and documented patterns of repeated harassment.

It is a dereliction of duty for the courts to hesitate in taking action while victims, desperately in need of help, remain exposed to stalking threats.

Cases that changed public opinion

The 2022 killing at Seoul’s Sindang Station set a painful benchmark for what happens when protection fails. Police had accused Jeon Joo hwan of stalking a colleague with incessant calls, messages, and illicit filming. The victim reported him twice within six months, but he was not detained. He was fired and faced sentencing on stalking charges. The day before that court date, he went to the station where she worked and stabbed her in a restroom. The attack drew an outpouring of grief and anger, which intensified pressure on lawmakers and courts to close loopholes and use stronger protective tools earlier in the cycle of abuse.

As he was led before reporters after his arrest, Jeon apologized and admitted wrongdoing.

I did a truly crazy thing.

Academics say the case crystallized a wider sense of vulnerability among women, who point out that a rest room in a busy station should be among the safest public spaces.

Hyobin Lee, an adjunct professor of Korean politics, captured that fear in plain terms.

There is no such thing as a safe place in Korea for women anymore, as the attack happened in a crowded, public place in the middle of the day.

What the first year of cases reveals

An academic review of the first year of court decisions under the 2021 statute offers a grounded picture of risk factors. Researchers who analyzed 193 stalking related cases from October 2021 to October 2022 found that most victims were women and the average victim age was slightly above 42. Former intimate partners accounted for the largest share of alleged stalkers, and rejection was the primary reported motive. About 16.6 percent of stalkers had diagnosed mental disorders, with psychosis fairly common among those identified. Direct contact and approaches were more prevalent than solely digital or indirect behaviors.

The findings help explain why protection on the ground often hinges on quick intervention and clear documentation. The law requires repeated or continuous conduct, so early reporting and evidence collection can be decisive. Where former partners are involved, the pattern frequently includes calls, visits, waiting near homes or workplaces, and escalating confrontations. The more quickly police can document the pattern and secure no contact orders, the greater the chance of preventing serious harm.

Digital stalking moves faster than the law

Experts warn that technology enabled surveillance and harassment are outpacing legal frameworks. With near universal smartphone use and a dense social media ecosystem, victims report spyware installation, real time GPS tracking, and round the clock messaging that seeks to monitor, isolate, and intimidate. A recent analysis from the Korean Women’s Development Institute notes that South Korea lacks official statistics on tech based stalking, and that some acts, like covert GPS tracking, are often charged as privacy violations rather than as stalking, which can limit the penalties and dilute the clarity of the threat.

Bae Seong shin, a Gender Equality Officer at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office who has studied tech mediated abuse, argues that the harm is not abstract or minor. The constant surveillance and threats reshape daily life for victims.

Unlike conventional physical stalking, technology mediated stalking exerts a powerful form of control without direct contact, leaving victims feeling trapped in what one might call an invisible prison.

Countries that recognize coercive control as a core feature of domestic abuse are adapting laws to capture patterns of intimidation and surveillance that may not involve physical contact. Advocates in South Korea are asking lawmakers to revise the stalking statute so that technology based control is addressed explicitly, and so that investigative units have the tools, training, and digital forensics support to act quickly.

Regional context and prevention

Across the region, governments are updating criminal codes to address psychological harm, online harassment, and the protection of personal information. Malaysia, for example, has rolled out Penal Code amendments that criminalize doxing and communications intended to cause emotional distress, with the aim of faster and stricter action against bullying in both physical and digital spaces. These steps reflect a broader shift toward recognizing emotional and psychological harm rather than focusing narrowly on physical injury.

South Korea has also begun to expand the support system around the stalking law. In 2023, the Act on Prevention of Stalking and Protection of Victims reinforced the safety net by formalizing shelters and counseling services for people at risk. Police can guide victims to secure facilities, provide information about rights and services, and coordinate with prosecutors to seek protective orders that fit the risk profile.

Prevention strategies that have shown promise in other jurisdictions include standardized risk assessments at first contact with police, rapid judicial review of emergency measures, strict enforcement of restraining orders, and electronic monitoring for the highest risk offenders. Information sharing among police, prosecutors, courts, and victim services is critical, along with specialized training for handling digital evidence and online harassment.

What advocates and officials are urging now

With filings rising and the profile of cases widening beyond former partners to include acquaintances and strangers, advocates are calling for streamlined access to protective orders and stronger enforcement when those orders are breached. Many urge courts to issue temporary no contact orders more readily at the emergency stage, given the well documented risk of escalation. Prosecutors and police leaders point to the need for adequate staffing and resources to process higher volumes and to supervise compliance, including the use of electronic monitoring where warranted by risk.

Specialists in technology mediated abuse want clearer statutory language that covers spyware use, account takeovers, covert GPS tracking, and coordinated harassment across platforms. They also recommend integrating tech based stalking into national crime statistics to guide policy and resource allocation. Expanding shelters, improving relocation support, and establishing a 24 hour helpline dedicated to stalking are consistently cited by victim service providers, who stress the need for long term case management rather than short term crisis responses.

Key Points

• Stalking reports rose from 7,626 in 2022 to 13,269 in 2024, with 7,981 cases filed by July this year.
• The 2021 Act on Punishment of Crime of Stalking set penalties of up to three years in prison, or up to five years if a weapon is used.
• A 2023 revision removed the clause that let suspects avoid punishment if a victim withheld consent.
• Courts are approving a smaller share of emergency and provisional measures, with approval rates dropping while filings increased.
• The 2022 Sindang Station killing galvanized public demand for faster, stronger protection for victims.
• An academic review of the first year of cases found most stalkers were former partners, rejection was a common motive, and direct contact was the dominant pattern.
• Experts warn of legal blind spots around digital stalking, including spyware, GPS tracking, and coordinated online harassment.
• Advocates urge clearer coverage of technology based control, faster protective orders, stronger enforcement, and expanded shelter and counseling services.