Sources of crimes committed with distorted motives must be identified

The government convened a ministerial meeting, presided over by the prime minister, and announced comprehensive measures to address crimes committed with distorted motives. These measures include the introduction of life imprisonment without parole, a thorough overhaul of laws and regulations to empower the police to employ necessary force, an expansion of infrastructure for the treatment of individuals with mental illnesses, and the implementation of court-approved hospitalization for those with severe mental disorders.

However, while the government displayed determination to formulate a unified, pan-governmental response through every available avenue, the measures unveiled today appear to be a reiteration of previously enacted actions. The police have begun labeling these offenses as “crimes committed with distorted motives,” yet the government’s official statement still employs the term “don’t ask crimes.” Following the incidents around Shillim Station and Seohyeon Station, online threats of copycat crimes have sown widespread fear, causing a sense of apprehension throughout society. The lack of consistent terminology within the government exposes a certain complacency towards the gravity of the current situation.

As evidenced by the inconsistency in terms, the government’s imprecise understanding of the essence of these crimes underpins its superficial responses, characterized by vague phrases such as “statutory maximum punishment” or “visible use of force and police enforcement.” Although the term “don’t ask crimes” emerged in the media in 2000, it is only recently that a clear definition for such offenses has been formulated, alongside official statistics and substantial research.

While belated, there is a pressing need to examine and analyze these offenders' demographic, socio-psychological, and developmental attributes and patterns, distinguishing them from other criminal acts. While criminals with distorted motives may include individuals with mental illnesses or severe social withdrawal, often referred to as “Hikkikomori” in Japanese culture, it is crucial to note that most mentally ill patients or socially withdrawn individuals are not criminals. A thorough exploration into the socio-psychological origins of criminal intent is imperative to pinpoint the motives behind these crimes and to devise effective preventive measures encompassing criminal justice, public health, and local communities.

The government has repeatedly recycled previous measures whenever crimes with distorted motives have occurred, such as incidents in Yeouido in 2012 and Gangnam Station in 2016. Instances of stabbing rampages akin to nightmares have recurred in urban subway stations and places like department stores. We must critically question whether the term “don’t ask” has inadvertently provided a rationale or even an excuse for the absence of proactive measures to combat these crimes. Our battle is against time, leaving no room for shifting blame onto an “unequal society” under the pretext of ambivalent expressions like “don’t ask” crimes with a “distorted motive" for these heinous crimes fueling fears across society.