Following the controversy over the inadequate police response to the Namyangju stalking murder case, police are conducting nationwide training sessions to strengthen their response to relationship-related crimes such as domestic violence and stalking.
According to police authorities on Wednesday, a task force centered on the National Police Agency's Director for Women's Safety and School Violence Countermeasures has been conducting inspections and training across 18 metropolitan and provincial police agencies nationwide for approximately six weeks, from December 23 to January 30.
The training program involves weekly visits to local police stations in each metropolitan and provincial jurisdiction. The task force has already visited Cheongju Heungdeok Police Station under North Chungcheong Provincial Police Agency and Chuncheon Police Station under Gangwon Provincial Police Agency. The program will expand to Daejeon Dunsan Police Station on Wednesday, Naju Police Station in South Jeolla Province on January 14, and Gunsan Police Station in North Jeolla Province on January 22.
On-site sessions are attended by the National Police Agency's Director for Women's Safety and School Violence Countermeasures, provincial women's protection section chiefs, domestic violence and stalking case officers, women and juvenile division staff from local police stations, and community police officers to review the entire response process.
Police plan to emphasize strengthening early-stage response measures, which are critical in handling relationship-related crimes. The Namyangju case highlighted the importance of the overall response system, from separating perpetrators and victims to protecting victims and conducting investigations. The training focuses particularly on revising on-site response standards, given that inadequate early information sharing and preemptive action can lead to serious crimes.
Police also plan to strengthen cooperation not only among local police stations but also with related agencies. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the Women's Emergency Hotline 1366, and domestic violence counseling centers are participating to jointly review the response system, including victim protection and follow-up support.