Justice minister Han Dong-hoon has ordered the prosecution to apply the "anti-stalking law" to sternly punish illegal private loan sharks who engage in intimidating acts to collect debts.

According to the ministry on Friday, Han ordered the state investigative agency to actively look into raising the degree of punishment for such illegal acts, which he said ravage lives of the victims and their families and at times lead to victims ending their own lives.

The minister called to actively sternly and actively apply the debt collection and anti-stalking laws when creditors continuously and repeatedly instill anxiety and fear on the victims and families while demanding debt payment.

Should the anti-stalking law be applied, loan sharks will not be permitted to come within 100 meters of debtors or contact them through telecommunications.

Han also urged the state agency to track down the source of creditors' illegal profits through cooperation with the police and other agencies, and to take steps for full redemption.

Meeting with a group of illegal loan victims on Thursday, President Yoon Suk Yeol called for efforts to eradicate illegal loan operations and harsher punishments to end such practices.