Police in South Korea have commenced an internal investigation into their handling of a stalking murder case that recently occurred in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province. The Korea National Police Agency announced on the 16th that it would swiftly investigate the police's inadequate response to the case. This follows the tragic incident on the 14th, where a young woman, who was under stalking protection, was fatally stabbed by a man despite having reported the danger just moments earlier. The police response has raised significant concerns regarding their capability to protect victims in similar situations.

In this heartbreaking scenario, the victim had activated a smartwatch linked to the police two minutes before the attack, but was unable to evade the perpetrator. The suspect was already wearing an electronic monitoring device due to a previous sexual offense; however, the smartwatch and the monitoring system were not integrated, thereby failing to alert authorities of the suspect's proximity. This has led to serious questions about the effectiveness of existing protective measures for those vulnerable to stalking and violence.

After being informed of the details surrounding the case, President Yoon Suk-yeol criticized the delays in the authorities' responses, asserting that they significantly fell short of public expectations. He directed related agencies to formulate stricter response measures, including intensifying efforts to isolate perpetrators from victims and ensuring rapid location tracking of offenders. This incident has highlighted the urgent need for improved strategies to prevent stalking and protect victims from future violence.