The National Assembly passed in a plenary session on Wednesday revisions to the law on penalizing stalking to enable punishment against a stalker even if the victim may not wish for it. 

The revised bill was drafted to improve the system on protecting victims of stalking after the system’s shortcomings surfaced in the wake of the stalking murder case that occurred at Sindang Station on subway Line Number Two last year. The victim was stabbed to death in the station's bathroom by the perpetrator who was to be sentenced the following day for stalking her.  

The move also comes as removing stalking from the category of crimes that are unpunishable upon the victim's objection was one of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s campaign pledges.  

Also under the revised bill, a court can order a suspect accused of stalking to wear an ankle monitor even before the court issues a ruling if the wearing of the device is deemed necessary to smoothly proceed investigations and to protect the victim. The suspect will be slapped with a maximum prison sentence of three years or up to 30 million won in fines if they take off or damage the anklet.  

Also on Wednesday’s plenary session, parliament passed revisions to the law on penalizing crimes of sexual violence, including guaranteeing victims of such crimes aged under 19 the right to cross-examine.