Korea pushes to define threat against pets, digital spying as stalking

Forcing a romantic relationship, spying on someone's social media accounts and threatening another person's pet are to be newly defined as acts of stalking, upon passage of a law revision propelled by the South Korean government.

The Ministry of Justice said Tuesday a revision of the Act on Punishment of Crime of Stalking had been proposed on Oct. 26. It aims to cover blind spots in the current version of the law, enacted in 2021, defining nine types of offenses as stalking.

Such blind spots include spying through various means, such as the use of a tracking device or program without consent, or acquiring information via unauthorized access on a network. Forcing someone to enter, maintain or resume a relationship, as well as threatening to reveal the other person's private information will also be defined as stalking.

The new revision covers acts of intimidation against the victim. Threatening the life, body or property of the other — or a person in close relationship with that person — will be considered stalking, as will capture, injury or killing of the other person's pet, or threats to do so.

Last month's data from the National Police Agency showed that 19.7 percent of murder suspects since 2023 had previously committed domestic violence, dating violence, stalking or sexual violence. This sparked calls for stronger measures against what is locally defined as "relationship-based crimes."

The aforementioned acts had not been previously defined as stalking, which means law enforcement is unable to implement active measures unless accompanied by other criminal acts like assault.

According to the ministry, the revision will allow authorities to protect the victims through measures like restraining orders before the actual violence occurs.

The plan comes after discussions at a joint task force comprising officials from the Justice Ministry, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, police and prosecution. Authorities had been deliberating on stronger methods to stop stalking crimes since the stalking and murder of a 27-year-old woman in March.

Police came under fire for failing to take effective measures against the 44-year-old suspect, who had been reported by the victim for stalking.

Stalking is punishable by up to three years in prison or a 30 million won ($22,400) fine. The maximum punishment rises to five years in prison or a 50 million won fine if involving a weapon.