South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Friday his government will strengthen a prevention-focused response system to build what he called an “ultra-safe society,” as public anxiety grows over a string of violent crimes.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Lee said fears have grown following recent violent crimes, including those involving intimate relationships and attacks driven by what authorities describe as abnormal motives.
“We are in a regrettable situation where people have to worry about their safety even in their daily lives,” Lee wrote, saying all relevant ministries had gathered Friday out of a “grave sense of crisis.”
Lee called the “Everyone’s Peace of Mind 365 Project for an Ultra-Safe Society,” discussed at the meeting, a “starting point” for a country where anyone can live an ordinary life without fear. He said the government will strengthen a system that detects warning signs early and prevents harm before it happens.
He said the government would swiftly push ahead with measures discussed, including creating a “safety patrol corps,” a provisional name, and introducing life imprisonment without parole.
“We will do our best to build a society where people do not have to bear their fear alone, and where they can trust that the state is by their side when they are in danger,” Lee wrote.
Lee told the meeting at the presidential office that violent crime should be met with a determination akin to “declaring war,” according to South Korean media reports. He pointed to crimes between family members and partners, as well as attacks targeting random victims, and said victims in relationship-related cases are repeatedly exposed to continued threats or fail to receive sufficient protection even after reporting danger.
Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing that the National Police Agency, the Justice Ministry, the Gender Equality and Family Ministry, the Health and Welfare Ministry and the Education Ministry presented response plans.
The police agency said it will shift its focus from victim support to managing offenders and preventing crimes, deploying a large number of personnel to patrol areas around crime victims’ homes. It also plans to expand subsidies for security equipment, including discounted CCTV cameras and emergency alarms for women-owned small businesses and women living alone. Authorities also will consider setting up facilities to house perpetrators of domestic violence, so that offenders are removed from the home first instead of victims having to leave.
The government is also seeking to introduce life imprisonment without parole to permanently separate violent offenders from society. Lee reportedly examined related revisions to the criminal code.
Lee said the new patrol corps is linked to job creation efforts and asked officials to consult with the presidential policy office on who would be recruited, what duties they would have and how large it would be. The government plans to prioritize tasks that can be carried out immediately without new legislation or budget approval, aiming to complete them by the end of the year.
