Lex Feminae Index 2026 Republic of Korea

This paper examines a distinctive feature of South Korea’s response to gender-based violence: diversion from criminal prosecution is embedded within the domestic violence enforcement system itself. Using 2024 official police, prosecutorial, judicial, and government data, the Lex Feminae Index® finds that only 1,841 of 57,973 domestic violence suspects were criminally indicted, while protective and Family Court pathways processed substantially larger volumes of cases. Sexual violence shows stronger prosecution and conviction outcomes, but suspended sentences remain the dominant sanction. The paper identifies structural gaps in penal accountability and cross-institutional data tracking and assesses South Korea as Grade D, “Weak Enforcement.” It provides an evidence base for policymakers examining how enforcement design, sentencing practices, and data integration affect the translation of gender-based violence legislation into measurable outcomes.