[Seoul Current Affairs] In order to prevent serious stalking crimes, South Korea has introduced perpetrator monitoring using the Global Positioning System (GPS). Three years have passed since the system began operation, and while it has been effective in preventing repeat offenses, the system's limitations have also become clear.
Consideration of preventing stalkers from approaching by wearing GPS, discussion on target and period, mandatory treatment - National Police Agency expert meeting meets for the first time
◇Expansion of target crimes
In 2008, South Korea began a system that requires sex offenders who are at risk of repeat offenses to wear tracking devices with GPS functionality. The scope of application has since expanded to include murder, and in 2023, stalking crimes were also covered. In June of this year, a system was introduced that allows victims to check in real time if the perpetrator is approaching.
The device is attached to the ankle and cannot be easily removed. When the reporter tried it on, it felt a bit heavy, but it didn't feel like it was constricting. A Ministry of Justice official emphasized, ``Once you get used to it, there will be no major inconvenience in your daily life.'' "You can even take a shower or bath while wearing it," he says.
◇24-hour monitoring
When I visited the ``Location Tracking Central Control Center'' under the Ministry of Justice in Seoul, I found a room equipped with a large monitor with staff keeping an eye on the screen. More than 5,000 people nationwide are being monitored 24 hours a day at control centers in Seoul, Chubu, and Daejeon.
If the equipment is damaged or the victim is approached, a probation officer is requested to respond. An average of 19,000 alerts are issued each day when the system detects something unusual, and probation officers are dispatched to approximately 300 of these alerts.
According to the Ministry of Justice, the recidivism rate for sex crimes after the system was introduced has decreased to about one-ninth of what it was before the system was introduced. To date, there have been no cases of retaliatory crimes against victims by people who were forced to wear them due to stalking.
◇Room for improvement
However, there have been incidents that have exposed the limits of the system. In October, a man wearing a tracking device slashed a customer with a knife at a commercial facility in Incheon, near Seoul. The man had previously served time in prison for attempting to kill his ex-wife, and had met with a probation officer before the incident. The man is said to have committed the crime to express his dissatisfaction with society.
Hyang-kyun, a research committee member at the Korea Criminal and Justice Policy Research Institute, explains, ``The electronic supervision system only captures location information, and cannot monitor behavior.'' He pointed out that it is difficult to deter "people who are dissatisfied and angry with society and don't care if they get arrested."
As the number of people eligible for the system increases, each probation officer is responsible for approximately 20 people. *Compared to other countries that have introduced similar systems, such as the United States, he said that the number of cases is "very high," and spoke of the need for improvement, saying, "We need to build a system that comprehensively assesses the psychology and lifestyle of the target person, while keeping a detailed grasp of their location."
