Victims Fear Reporting Due to 'Retaliation Crimes,' 466 Cases Last Year Alone

Increasing Annually... Lawmaker Hwang Hee Calls for "Strict Punishment and Urgent Victim Protection"

Increasing Retaliation Crimes (CG) [Yonhap News TV Capture]

 Retaliation crimes have been increasing annually, reaching 466 cases last year.

According to data submitted by the National Police Agency to Rep. Hwang Hee of the Democratic Party of Korea on the 31st, there have been 2,076 cases of retaliation crimes under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Crimes (Special Crimes Act) over the past five years.

Retaliation crimes under the Special Crimes Act refer to crimes committed with the intent to retaliate against complaints, accusations, statements, or testimonies related to the investigation or trial of a criminal case.

The number of retaliation crimes, which was 298 cases in 2020, jumped to 434 cases in 2021. Since then, it has been increasing annually, with 421 cases in 2022, 457 cases in 2023, and 466 cases in 2024.

Looking at the types of retaliation crimes over the past five years, revenge threats accounted for the largest portion at 52.6% (1,092 cases). This was followed by revenge assault (19.3% - 401 cases) and revenge injury (8.0% - 167 cases).

Rep. Hwang pointed out that crimes occurring in intimate relationships, such as relationship violence and stalking, carry a high risk of retaliation because the perpetrators know the victims' personal information, including their home address, workplace, and family details.

During the same period, there were 13 cases of revenge murder. Revenge murder, which was only one case last year, has already amounted to at least three cases this year.

In August, a man in his 30s, identified as A, stabbed and killed a woman in the underground parking lot of an officetel in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, who had reported him for attempted rape and other charges.

In Daegu, a man in his 40s, identified as B, broke into the victim's residence in June and fatally assaulted her with a weapon, reportedly because she had reported him for relationship violence.

In Uijeongbu in July, a stalking perpetrator who had been reported to the police went to the victim's workplace, killed her with a weapon, and then fled to a mountain where he took his own life.

Retaliation crimes have also occurred within the military. From 2020 to 2024, 20 cases were recorded: 14 in the Army, 4 in the Marine Corps, and 2 in the Air Force.

There were also cases where individuals threatened to "find their home address and kill their family" to prevent reporting, or threatened family members by revealing photos of the victim's body parts if they reported the crime.

Rep. Hwang stated, "Retaliation crimes undermine the criminal justice system and require severe punishment," adding, "There is an urgent need to establish effective measures for victim protection, swift remedy, and prevention of secondary harm." Yonhap News