A woman who had been placed under police protection after repeatedly reporting stalking and dating violence was stabbed to death, police said.
A woman in her mid-40s, identified by her surname initial B, was found fatally stabbed in front of a hotel in Yeon-dong, Jeju City, at about 1:38 a.m. on the 12th, according to the Jeju Western Police Station.
Police arrested her former boyfriend, a man in his early 60s identified as A, on murder charges and are questioning him. A fled after the attack and was caught on a street in Geonip-dong, Jeju City, at about 5:08 a.m. the same day.
The investigation found that the first dating violence complaint was filed in mid-May, followed by several more reports of dating violence and stalking.
Police had urged B to accept a smartwatch at the time, but because she did not want her former partner punished, no smartwatch was issued and no formal case was opened or restraining order sought.
Police later issued B a smartwatch on Sept. 16, citing concerns that she could face retaliatory violence, and registered her in the 112 emergency call system as a person under safety protection. That came four months after her first report.
The smartwatch automatically alerts the 112 emergency center and transmits real-time location data when the wearer presses an emergency button. B died without being able to press it during the sudden attack. She was found after a passerby called police.
Police are analyzing security camera and vehicle dashcam footage from the time of the attack and are focusing their questioning of A on his motive and whether the killing was premeditated. They plan to seek an arrest warrant.