Most stalking suspects linked romantically to victims; 73.2% are men

A new study suggests that most stalking crimes in South Korea involve suspects who are or were in a romantic relationship with the victim. The study also found that over 70 percent of individuals accused of stalking or violence in dating or romantic relationships are men.

The report, conducted by researchers from Dongguk University's College of Police and Criminal Justice, analyzed 463 stalking cases among a broader set of 5,586 incidents related to stalking, dating or romantic violence. These cases were reported in major regions across South Korea between Sept. 13 and Oct. 11, 2024.

According to the findings, 270 stalking cases (56.8 percent) involved current or former romantic partners. An additional 24 cases (5.1 percent) involved current or former spouses, and four cases involved common-law spouses.

About 73.2 percent of the stalking suspects were men, and the same male proportion was found among suspects in all three categories of crimes examined in the study.

In 25.1 percent of stalking cases categorized as miscellaneous, the suspect-victim relationships included former colleagues, store owners and customers, doctors and patients, neighbors, and those involved over debt.

On average, stalking suspects were aged 43.5, and 22.7 percent were in their 30s, 20.8 percent in their 50s, 19.6 percent in their 20s, and 19.1 percent in their 40s. Those aged 60 and older accounted for 15.8 percent.

The cases were compiled via reports filed with police stations in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, Incheon and Daegu, and the study was published in the latest edition of the journal of the Korea Safety Culture Society.

Citing other studies, the researchers noted that histories of violence, domestic violence, other crimes, substance abuse and being a victim of child abuse can be factors in stalking crimes, as can antisocial behavior and other behavioral disorders.

Statistics by the National Police Agency have shown that the number of stalking victims nationwide has been on an upward trend in recent years, rising from 10,545 in 2022 to 11,841 in 2023 and 13,075 in 2024.

There have been several cases in which stalking victims under police protection have been murdered by stalkers. In June, a 48-year-old man evaded surveillance by local officers and broke into the home of his 52-year-old former girlfriend, whom he had been stalking, and stabbed her to death.

The study showed that in cases of domestic violence, suspects on average were 46.1 years old, and 73.5 percent were men. The over-40 population accounted for well over 60 percent of all cases -- 24.4 percent attributed to suspects in their 40s, 22.1 percent to those aged 60 and up, and 20.7 percent to those in their 50s.

Dating violence involved the youngest suspects, with an average age of 35.2. Some 36.4 percent of dating violence cases were committed by those in their 20s, 29.1 percent by those in their 30s, 17.4 percent by those in their 40s, and 10.3 percent by those in their 50s.

As with stalking and dating violence, men were responsible for an overwhelming majority of dating violence cases at 72.3 percent.