Five types of stalkers

A professor of law at Dongguk University classified stalkers into five types in a contribution to the "Human Rights and Justice" monthly, published by the Korea Bar Association.

In the article, titled "countermeasures against stalking based on criminal law," Prof. Cho Kook termed the five types "the rejected," "the intimacy seekers," "the incompetent," "the resentful," and "the predatory."

The rejected are those who experienced being shunned. They stalk former sweethearts, friends or co-workers with whom they have severed relations, obsessed with the dual emotions of reconciliation and revenge. They suffer various personality disorders, such as lack of social adaptability, maniacal jealousy, a feeling of helplessness and low self-esteem. They attempt to content themselves by threatening their targets.

The intimacy seekers are the most deranged stalkers. They are lost in a world of fantasy and believe that they have a spiritual connection with people they are not personally acquainted with. Their victims are mostly celebrities or those whom they encounter by chance on the street.

The incompetent want to become associated with figures that they are unable to have relations with due to their lack of intellectual or social capabilities. These people are different from stalkers who want to form a friendship with their targets. Even if they are charmed by those they stalk, they are not that enthusiastic about their victims.

The resentful and the predatory are the most dangerous stalkers, according to Prof. Cho.

The resentful make it their goal to shock and harass their victims, while the predatory take pleasure in using power to gain supremacy over their victims. Many of these stokers have abnormal sexual histories and criminal records for acts of sexual violence, according to the professor.

Unless stalking is deterred in the initial stages, it will develop into felonies such as violence, kidnapping or murder, Prof. Cho said.