Security officers Koo Seon-woo (left) and Kim Young-hwan receive a commendation from the Korean National Police Agency for their work under the high-risk crime victim private security support program. Estec System announced Thursday it has been selected to run the program for the fourth consecutive year. [Estec System]
Security officers Koo Seon-woo (left) and Kim Young-hwan receive a commendation from the Korean National Police Agency for their work under the high-risk crime victim private security support program. Estec System announced Thursday it has been selected to run the program for the fourth consecutive year. [Estec System]

Close protection for high-risk victims of stalking, domestic violence

Program expanded nationwide after Greater Seoul pilot in 2023

Estec System has been selected to run the Korean National Police Agency's high-risk crime victim private security support program for the fourth consecutive year, providing close protection to victims of stalking, domestic violence and dating violence who face a high risk of retaliation.

The company announced Thursday it had been named the operator of the 2026 edition of the program. Estec System has carried out the contract every year since the pilot launched in 2023.

The program is a public safety initiative that deploys professional private security personnel to protect crime victims at high risk of retaliation or repeat offenses. Its core aim is to prevent secondary harm by providing close protection at victims' homes, workplaces and during daily movement.

The Korean National Police Agency launched the pilot in June 2023, covering Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. It expanded the program nationwide on March 10, 2025. At the time of the national rollout, the agency said the expansion was driven by a growing number of high-risk cases in which perpetrators continued to contact or approach victims even after police intervention.

Estec System has operated the program since the Greater Seoul pilot and maintained a nationwide network following the expansion. The company said it deployed a cumulative total of 9,140 security personnel to protect 421 individuals in 2025.

The company has also stepped up training, completing instruction for 450 security officers to date and currently training an additional 144 this year. Two of its officers received a commendation from the national police commissioner for securing a victim's safety in a notable case handled by the Busan Dongrae Police Station.

Under the program, the Korean National Police Agency assigns two-person close protection teams to high-risk victims. Private security support lasts up to 14 days and can be extended once with approval from a provincial or metropolitan police agency. All deployed officers must complete police-mandated training before assignment.

"This program carries a weighty social responsibility — protecting the lives and daily safety of crime victims," said Kim Hong-geun, executive vice president of Estec System. "Drawing on four years of accumulated expertise and our nationwide operational capacity, we will spare no effort in protecting victims in 2026."


hong@heraldcorp.com