The Democratic Party launched the Special Committee on Measures to Eradicate Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, and Stalking and began discussions on measures to prevent relational crimes.

Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok encouraged the committee's activities at the launch ceremony held today (November 4) at the National Assembly, saying, "Stalking, dating violence, and domestic violence have moved beyond the realm of private conflict and have now become serious crimes."

Kim said, "Ending a relationship with someone you dated has become something that requires enduring threats," adding, "We are now in a situation where relational crimes must shift to a proactive prevention system. It is necessary to strengthen victim protection systems and reinforce the management and response to perpetrators with a high risk of recidivism."

Rep. Lee Soojin, executive secretary of the special committee and ruling party ranking member on the National Assembly's Gender Equality and Family Committee, said, "The committee will conduct a full-scale investigation into relational crime fatalities to analyze root causes," adding, "We will also examine whether victim protection measures and the monitoring and management of perpetrators are working effectively on the ground."

She added, "We will focus on proactive prevention and strengthening protection measures so that there are no further victims of relational crimes such as dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking," and noted, "The Democratic Party will work with the government to establish an integrated and comprehensive response system."

Rep. Song Ok-joo, co-chair of the special committee, pledged, "Focusing on major fatal cases involving intimate relationship crimes, we will closely review the response process from reporting to protection measures and investigation to identify areas in need of improvement."

Song said, "Around 100 amendment bills related to domestic violence and stalking have been proposed as primary sponsorships, but most are pending in the National Assembly," adding, "The special committee will follow through to the end to ensure that pending bills and newly proposed bills are processed swiftly."

Former prosecutor Seo Ji-hyeon, who serves as co-chair alongside Song, delivered a draft bill to supplement legislation on relational crimes to leader Kim at today's meeting.

(Photo: Yonhap News)