[Anchor]

A woman in her 60s who was killed by a weapon wielded by her ex-boyfriend in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, yesterday (July 5) was already under police protection. Despite having a restraining order and wearing a police-issued smart watch, the crime could not be prevented. Critics argue that the current protection system, which focuses on responding after an incident, must be changed to a method that prevents the perpetrator from approaching in the first place.

Reporter Dong Eunyeong reports.

[Reporter]

The 60-year-old woman was murdered by her former partner about a month after she reported him for stalking.

From the day he received a warning from the police, the perpetrator called her 15 times over two days and sent eight text messages complaining, asking, "Why aren't you answering the phone?"

It has been confirmed that he was classified as a high-risk individual under the "Risk Assessment System" established following the stalking murder case in Namyangju.

However, his actions did not meet the criteria for recommending an arrest warrant, and the victim was provided with a police smart watch for emergencies, along with a court-issued restraining order.

Yet, neither the restraining order nor the police, who arrived three minutes after the smart watch alert was triggered, could prevent the tragedy on the day of the crime.

With news of recurring stalking murders, voices are growing louder that the victim protection system must be changed to one that physically blocks the perpetrator from approaching beforehand.

The argument is that if physical detention is difficult, perpetrators should be fitted with location-tracking electronic devices so that police can be dispatched as soon as they approach the victim.

[Interview: Heo Min-sook / National Assembly Legislative Researcher: If a victim presses their smart watch and is killed on the spot, it might help find the body quickly. If it is determined that a victim needs to wear a smart watch, it is the perpetrator who should be monitored.]

While a system that allows for the attachment of electronic devices from the investigation stage is currently in place, critics point out that it does not function swiftly due to complex procedures required for court decisions.

The police and the Ministry of Justice announced that starting today, they will implement a system to share location information in real-time and respond jointly in cases where individuals already wearing electronic anklets are issued restraining orders.

(Video Editing: Jung Seong-hun, Design: Seo Seung-hyun)