Domestic violence in South Korea

Domestic violence in South Korea is the mental, physical, verbal or sexual abuses or crimes of violence committed towards a victim in a domestic setting of marital relations and cohabitation. Domestic violence describes violence towards a domestic partner, towards children and between siblings. According to the Domestic Violence Survey of South Korea in 2010, elder abuse was estimated to be 10%, physical abuse accounted for 2.2%, emotional abuse 9%, economic abuse 1.2%, and neglect 2.5%.^[1] Marital violence has been the most prevalent form of family violence in South Korea.^[2] One out of six couples in South Korea had more than one episode of physical violence from their spouse.^[2]

As a part of the culture of South Korea, marital violence is regarded as a private family issue, rather than a crime or social issues. Accordingly, 50% of Korean adults reported that they did not wish to call the police for an incidence of marital violence because "it is a family matter."^[2]

The Korean government claims to prioritize the elimination of gender-based stereotypes and violence.^[3] In 2018, the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) reported an increase in the governmental efforts to improve gender equality in South Korea, by protecting women's rights in employment, health, and education, and reducing violence against women. In 2009, the Korean government spent 27.1 billion Korean Won out of the national budget in the punishment and prevention of domestic and sexual violence.^[4]