Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung on Monday criticized law enforcement authorities for their delayed and inadequate response to a recent fatal stalking case, calling for stronger measures to better protect victims of stalking, according to a senior presidential aide.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee issued the instruction after being briefed on a case in which a man in his 40s stabbed to death a woman he had previously dated while being placed under a restraining order and also under investigation without detention despite repeated stalking.

"Responses by related authorities were late and fell far below public expectations," the president was quoted as saying by Lee Kyu-yeon, presidential secretary for public affairs and communications. Lee expressed condolences to the victim and her bereaved family and ordered an audit of the authorities responsible for handling the case, as well as appropriate disciplinary action if wrongdoing is found, the secretary said.

The president called for measures to more actively separate stalkers from their victims and to swiftly locate suspects in order to better protect victims of stalking crimes. He also urged a review of relevant regulations to strengthen protections for victims, the secretary said.

South Korea's anti-stalking law, which took effect in October 2021, allows for up to three years in prison for offenders, while those who commit stalking while carrying a weapon face a maximum five-year sentence. Previously, stalking had been treated as a misdemeanor.