Korea facing worrying uptick in dating violence and murders

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Korea facing worrying uptick in dating violence and murders

Published: 12 May. 2024, 17:19 Updated: 12 May. 2024, 18:32

LEE SOO-JUNG
lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr

The medical school student alleged to have killed his girlfriend on the rooftop of a building walks into Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul, for his arrest warrant hearing on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

Rising cases of intimate partner homicide and violence in recent months have the Korean public calling for stronger punishment and prevention measures.

Last week, a 25-year-old medical student, surnamed Choi, who had received a perfect score on the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), the national college entrance exam, allegedly stabbed his girlfriend with a weapon multiple times in Gangnam, southern Seoul. She reportedly had been trying to break up with him.

The shocking incident sparked demands from people nationwide, urging for stricter penalties against offenders who commit violence against their partners.

But in Korea, murders of intimate partners are not rare.

In April, a man in his 20s was arrested on charges of beating his ex-girlfriend to death in Geoje, South Gyeongsang.

A month earlier in March, another woman in her 20s died after being stabbed by her boyfriend, suspect Kim Re-ah, in Gyeonggi. Kim is on trial, charged with murder and attempted murder, as the victim’s mother was severely injured on-site.

Along with murder itself, physical violence against partners, also known as dating violence, is also on the rise.

A total of 13,939 offenders were arrested last year for cases of dating violence, according to the National Police Agency. The figure experienced a drastic surge from 8,951 in 2020.

On average, 38.2 dating violence cases take place a day based on the number of offenders.

The number of reported cases of dating violence also jumped from 49,225 to 77,150 over the same period, marking a 34 percent increase.

The graph shows an increase in cases of dating violence over the past six years. [NATIONAL POLICE AGENCY, AHN DA-YOUNG]

Yet, follow-up measures to separate these offenders from society have remained insufficient.

Last year, only 2 percent of the total offenders, or some 310, underwent questioning while being detained.

“Although violence between intimate partners has emerged as a social problem nowadays, there was some social sensitivity around treating such abuse, as it falls into the personal realm [where police power should stay outside of it],” said Prof. Oh Yoon-sung, who specializes in police administration at Soonchunhyang University.

Oh attributed such a “low indictment ratio” to the sensitivity that seems to “linger in judiciary authorities.”

One issue lies in the legal vacuum where victims of intimate partner violence in unmarried partnerships are unable to rely on immediate protections, like a restraining order or immediate separation. Those measures are stipulated by the Act on Punishment of Crime of Stalking or laws governing domestic abuse — which do not cover intimate partner violence among unmarried couples.

Although the National Assembly has seen relevant bills filed for review, they have never been passed.

Rep. Kim Mi-ae from the People Power Party proposed two bills outlining punishment and protection mechanisms for intimate partner violence.

Another lawmaker, Rep. Kwon In-sook from the liberal Democratic Party, proposed an amendment to domestic abuse law by extending it to violence between unmarried partners. The amendment mandates paramedics to report cases to law enforcement authorities, and allows restraining orders to be issued in the cases of unmarried partners.

“Generally, offenders killing their partners — who aren't willing to break up with them — display a paranoid personality, accompanied with a high level of obsession or dependency on their partners,” said Prof. Gong Jung-sik from Kyonggi University.

Gong said that “sense of loss and betrayal stemming from a breakup” catalyze the violent actions.

The professor stressed that the police should “advance prevention measures” through counseling services or restraining tools that can curb such crimes.

BY LEE BO-RAM, LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]