Killing of victim’s mother exposes gaps in police protection

A man under investigation for domestic violence allegedly killed his mother-in-law and abducted his wife on Sunday after a court-ordered restriction barring him from approaching her expired.

The case has renewed scrutiny of gaps in South Korea's system for protecting victims of domestic violence.

Seoul's Songpa Police Station said it had arrested the man, in his 20s, on suspicion of fatally stabbing his mother-in-law, in her 50s, and forcibly taking his wife away in a vehicle from her family home in southeastern Seoul.

The suspect, who was involved in proceedings to annul his marriage, had been under investigation since August for allegedly repeatedly assaulting his wife.

Police initially secured temporary protective measures, including a ban on approaching the victim, but the restrictions expired on Sept. 30.

Police applied to the court for renewed restrictions on Oct. 6, but the suspect allegedly carried out the attack before a decision was issued, leaving the victim without an active protective order.

Under current law, such restrictions can remain in effect for up to one month and be extended once, potentially leaving victims without continuous protection while authorities await a new court decision.

Police can impose emergency temporary restrictions to bridge such gaps, but the measures are generally invoked in urgent situations involving new reports of violence, making them difficult to apply without evidence of a new threat.

Police also did not seek renewed restrictions before the initial measures expired, a step that could potentially have allowed the court to issue a decision sooner.

The case has also raised questions about the effectiveness of police-issued emergency smartwatches.

The woman had been provided with such a device, but police believe its battery had run out by the time of the attack, rendering it unusable.