The Ministry of Justice and the National Police Agency have established a joint response system to address violations of restraining orders issued to individuals fitted with electronic monitoring devices. This new protocol aims to enhance victim protection by enabling a coordinated response from probation officers and police when a person under electronic surveillance violates a court-ordered restriction against approaching a victim.
Enhanced Collaboration for Victim Safety
Under the Stalking Punishment Act and the Electronic Ankle Monitoring Act, which took effect on January 12, 2024, authorities already share information about individuals fitted with electronic ankle monitors. These monitors are mandated by court orders when there is a perceived risk of stalking behavior recurring, as stipulated in Article 9-3-2 of the Stalking Punishment Act.
However, a gap existed in the system when an individual with an electronic tag committed stalking or domestic violence and subsequently received a court order prohibiting them from approaching the victim. Previously, there was no established procedure for the Ministry of Justice and the police to share information or jointly respond in such situations.
To bridge this gap, the Ministry of Justice and the National Police Agency have developed a “High-Risk Offender Joint Response Plan.” This plan involves connecting their respective systems to share information about individuals subject to restraining orders. If a person with an electronic tag violates such an order by approaching a victim, probation officers and police will be dispatched immediately for a joint intervention.
Operational Details of the New Protocol
Starting July 6, the new protocol will be implemented. Probation officers will be dispatched to the perpetrator’s location, while police officers will simultaneously respond to the victim’s location. Their combined effort will focus on apprehending the individual who has violated the restraining order.
This initiative was reportedly prompted by the need to prevent recurrences of severe crimes, such as the stalking and murder case that occurred in Namyangju in March. In that incident, the perpetrator, Kim Hun (44), who was wearing an electronic ankle monitor after serving a sentence for sexual assault, stalked and murdered a woman in her 20s.
A critical failure in the Namyangju case was that the probation office was unaware that Kim Hun had been issued a restraining order against the victim. Similarly, the police were unaware that he was wearing an electronic tag for a different offense and could not track his real-time movements during the commission of the crime.
Future Developments: Real-Time Location Sharing
The Ministry of Justice and the National Police Agency are also working on developing a system that will allow for the real-time tracking and sharing of the location of individuals wearing electronic ankle monitors. This advanced system is expected to further strengthen the protective measures for victims and improve the efficiency of law enforcement responses.
The introduction of this joint response system and the planned real-time location sharing are significant steps towards ensuring the safety of victims and preventing repeat offenses by individuals who pose a continued threat.
