South Korea has officially launched a new mobile app alert system designed to give stalking victims real-time access to the exact locations and movements of their perpetrators.
GPS-enabled electronic ankle monitors were first introduced for high-risk stalking cases. The electronic tracking was meant to supplement government-issued, smartwatch-type emergency alert devices that had already been provided to victims for several years.
According to a report by the Straits Times, public outrage peaked after data exposed fatal blind spots in the smartwatch system. Representative Lee Gwang-hee of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea noted that 23 victims were killed or targeted in attempted murders between 2021 and August 2025 despite having been issued those emergency alert devices.
How the app empowers victims
The development of the application stretches back to 2024, when court-ordered electronic monitoring was introduced.
The app, officially rolled out on June 24, 2026, organised by the Ministry of Justice. Stalking reports in South Korea have doubled since 2021. The data from the stalker’s ankle monitor helps the app track down their information.
According to the Chosun Daily, victims can check the perpetrator’s real-time location, movement path, and speed on a map. If the perpetrator approaches, an alert will pop up: “Check the perpetrator’s real-time location”, and if the perpetrator moves to a far distance, an alert reading, “The perpetrator has moved outside the safety zone”, will be shown.
Phone numbers of nearby police stations, probation offices, and other public institutions are listed for immediate assistance in emergencies within the app itself. Previously, only text messages about the perpetrator’s proximity were sent.
The Ministry of Justice stated that the app was re-developed to address victims’ concerns about “not knowing the direction from which the perpetrator was approaching.” Furthermore, if victims are not comfortable sharing their location with the Ministry of Justice, they can register frequently visited places like their residence or workplace and monitor whether the perpetrator approaches those locations.
Privacy and legal hurdles
Providing civilians with real-time location access to other citizens sparked debates regarding data privacy. To clear the legal hurdles required to share a suspect's location data, the Justice Ministry successfully revised its strict regulations governing electronic monitoring in December 2025. As reported by Aju Press, officials stated that the government was able to “transform a vague sense of anxiety into a manageable situation.”
What lies ahead
The Justice Ministry announced plans to introduce a landmark legal system in April 2027 that will allow stalking victims to directly petition courts for restraining orders. This will eliminate the current, often slow bureaucratic process of relying entirely on law enforcement agencies to file requests on their behalf.
Not the first of its kind
Spain has a system named Attention and Protection for Victims of Violence Against Women (ATENPRO). It is a telephone system that offers safety 24/7, in any location. It is owned by the Ministry of Equality. The US uses the SCRAM system, which tracks the perpetrator’s ankle monitor to pinpoint their accurate location.
In India, there are no notable infrastructures like these. However, under Section 78 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), stalking and covert electronic tracking of others are heavily punishable offences. Indian victims must rely entirely on private security, using commercial apps to scan for hidden Bluetooth trackers (like AirTags) to ensure further safety.
Civil advocacy groups emphasise that technology alone cannot stop stalking. The safety of women is a responsibility of the entire humankind.
