South Korean lawmakers hold forum on relationship crime prevention

The National Assembly Gender Equality and Family Committee is hosting a forum titled ‘Relationship Crimes, Repeated Female Victimization, and State Responsibility’ to address the rise in violent crimes stemming from stalking, dating violence, and domestic abuse.

The forum aims to evaluate current victim protection systems and the management of high-risk offenders. Discussions will focus on why violent crimes continue to occur even after victims have reported incidents to the police or received protection measures. Key topics include improving the effectiveness of electronic monitoring and the necessity of judicial hospitalization for high-risk offenders with mental health issues.

Committee Chairwoman Kim Jung-jae emphasized the need for a fundamental review of the national response system, stating that the state must not allow tragedies to repeat where victims lose their lives despite requesting help. The forum seeks to develop practical legislative and policy improvements to ensure that reports lead to real protection and that control over high-risk offenders functions effectively.