Victims can open the app and track a tagged suspect’s location and direction of travel once they come within a 2km radius. If that distance falls below 1km, police and probation authorities receive an alert and contact the victim.
This is just for an alleged rather than convicted stalker. Distances like that mean you would need to relocate to another part of the country over an allegation.
Stalking victims frequently have to move regularly to escape their stalkers. Stalkers needing to avoid one town is a minimal restriction for their offense.
The problem is when you think about actual non-stalkers.
I think this is a too rough, crude, gross, extreme, disproportionate and easy to abuse and misuse “solution” for that problem.
There are many overly narcissistic and self-centered people who are going to be thinking that anyone who walks in the same direction as they are necessarily an stalker, and then there is the issue of revenge, blackmail, hate crimes and so on that a person can commit with an application of that nature.
If you’re in the app, you’ve already been categorised by the legal system as a stalker. If non-stalkers are being categorised as such, that’s the problem, not the app.
Well, I have to admit that I didn’t read the article, just the title, now I have read it and understood the system.
Sorry, my bad for making a hasty conclusion.
I still feel that it can be abused because for a non-stalker is difficult to actually prove in a meaningful way that they’re not an stalker, and as such can be easily mislabeled. That’s specially problematic when you take into account things like pretty privilege, poverty traps, class dynamics, etc.
But at least now it seems a bit more reasonable. I just hope that it’s used in a fair and responsible way.
But they may not have even done so. This is for alleged stalkers.
2km also essentially allows stalking them if you accuse them. Are they at home? Let’s just walk within 2km and find out. Even just saying a distance and not location would make triangulation easy. Just go to 3 spots and see where the distances overlap. 2 would often be good enough for an educated guess.
I am more in favour of notifying police. 1km is probably still a bit of a wide area although if they are just notified first and only take action if you continue moving closer, say to 200m or so, then it might be more reasonable.
The app’s effectiveness depends on courts ordering suspects to wear electronic tags, something that remains relatively rare in South Korean stalking cases.
Police arrested 29,404 people on stalking charges across 2024 and 2025. Authorities made 1,187 applications for electronic monitoring during that period, but courts approved only 427.
Seems courts are taking the power seriously for the accused.
If they have an ankle monitor, there is probably some sort of proof. Otherwise the app would probably be the least of your worries. Your theory about tracking the stalker is pretty useless because most people want to avoid their stalker at all cost and not track them down.
Also if the police only reached out to you when your stalker is 200m away how would they arrive in time to help you.
Its more about notifying them earlier so they can monitor it. If you are clearly moving straight there then they can probably send someone sooner. Rather than automatic catch you for going vaguely nearby.
seams okay for me
That seems pretty short though, surely it would mean you are not allowed to live, work or even vist the same town they live or work in.
Like if anyone I knew was to be my stalker, one of us would have to quit their job and sell their house to relocate.
I thought you meant short for the victim… like 2km seems not enough. I would expect something more like 10km or something.
This is just for an alleged rather than convicted stalker. Distances like that mean you would need to relocate to another part of the country over an allegation.
Oh ok, I thought it was like restraining order type stuff.
Stalking victims frequently have to move regularly to escape their stalkers. Stalkers needing to avoid one town is a minimal restriction for their offense.
The problem is when you think about actual non-stalkers.
I think this is a too rough, crude, gross, extreme, disproportionate and easy to abuse and misuse “solution” for that problem.
There are many overly narcissistic and self-centered people who are going to be thinking that anyone who walks in the same direction as they are necessarily an stalker, and then there is the issue of revenge, blackmail, hate crimes and so on that a person can commit with an application of that nature.
If you’re in the app, you’ve already been categorised by the legal system as a stalker. If non-stalkers are being categorised as such, that’s the problem, not the app.
Well, I have to admit that I didn’t read the article, just the title, now I have read it and understood the system.
Sorry, my bad for making a hasty conclusion.
I still feel that it can be abused because for a non-stalker is difficult to actually prove in a meaningful way that they’re not an stalker, and as such can be easily mislabeled. That’s specially problematic when you take into account things like pretty privilege, poverty traps, class dynamics, etc.
But at least now it seems a bit more reasonable. I just hope that it’s used in a fair and responsible way.
No
Then they should have thought of that before they started harassing someone.
But they may not have even done so. This is for alleged stalkers.
2km also essentially allows stalking them if you accuse them. Are they at home? Let’s just walk within 2km and find out. Even just saying a distance and not location would make triangulation easy. Just go to 3 spots and see where the distances overlap. 2 would often be good enough for an educated guess.
I am more in favour of notifying police. 1km is probably still a bit of a wide area although if they are just notified first and only take action if you continue moving closer, say to 200m or so, then it might be more reasonable.
Generally no contact orders work both ways. Neither party cannot go within X distance of each other.
Seems courts are taking the power seriously for the accused.
I don’t know how the South Korean legal system works, but this sounds a bit like “release with conditions” we sometime have after arrest in the US.
Reading the article, dangerous stalking seems to be increasing. I hope someone is looking into what’s creating that motivation.
If they have an ankle monitor, there is probably some sort of proof. Otherwise the app would probably be the least of your worries. Your theory about tracking the stalker is pretty useless because most people want to avoid their stalker at all cost and not track them down.
Also if the police only reached out to you when your stalker is 200m away how would they arrive in time to help you.
Its more about notifying them earlier so they can monitor it. If you are clearly moving straight there then they can probably send someone sooner. Rather than automatic catch you for going vaguely nearby.
That’s a load-bearing “probably”
fascinating take. make it easier for the alleged abusers to get close to the victims.