Checking progress and viewing records after filing a complaint

• Check the receipt number, the police station handling the case and the investigation department shown on your complaint receipt. If you do not yet know the investigator's name and contact number, ask the department and write them down.
• Check whether you can log in with identity verification to the Korea Information System of Criminal-Justice Services (형사사법포털, kics.go.kr) and look up the stage of the case.
• Keep all post and texts you receive from now on in one place. Notices about referral, non-referral or indictment often state the deadline for the next step.
• If you find new evidence, give it to the investigator in charge and keep a separate note of the date and what you submitted.

The police must finish the investigation and decide whether to refer the case to prosecutors within 3 months of accepting the complaint (Criminal Procedure Act (형사소송법) Article 238, for cases accepted on or after October 2, 2026). There is also a rule that the police should make efforts to keep those involved appropriately informed of progress (Investigation Rules (수사준칙) Article 12), but investigators often do not get in touch first. If you want to know, briefly ask the investigator in charge what stage the case is at and whether there is anything more you should submit.

You can apply to inspect and copy the records of your own statements and the documents you submitted, even during the investigation (Investigation Rules Article 69(1)). This is how to check how what you said in the interview was written down. To see the other party's statements too, you generally have to wait until the objection stage after a non-referral decision, or until after indictment.

If more than 6 months pass after the investigation starts without real progress and without good reason, there is also a procedure for raising an objection with the head of the investigating office (Criminal Procedure Act Article 245-11).

When the prosecutor indicts or decides not to indict in a complaint case, the complainant must be notified in writing within 7 days (Criminal Procedure Act Article 258). If it is a non-indictment, the prosecutor must explain the reasons in writing within 7 days if the complainant asks (Article 259).

If the victim applies, the prosecutor must promptly notify them of whether the case is indicted, the date and place of trial hearings, the trial result, and custody matters such as the offender's detention or release (Article 259-2). If you want to attend the trial or know whether the offender has been released, it is a good idea to apply for this notification.

When applying, give the case number and the exact address and mobile number for notifications. If you move, tell them your new address so the notifications do not stop.

While the trial is under way, the victim, a family member they have authorised, or their lawyer can apply to the presiding judge to inspect and copy the case records. The judge must allow it if needed for the victim's remedies or right to make a statement, and must give reasons if refusing or attaching conditions (Article 294-4). You can also apply to the prosecutor to inspect and copy the documentary evidence the prosecutor will submit to the court (Article 294-5).

Seeing the records tells you what the offender is disputing in court, which makes it easier to prepare a written opinion or testimony. The victim can apply to testify as a witness, and can then also give views on the harm suffered and on punishment (Article 294-2). Do not post what you read online or pass it around to others.

In complaints we file on your behalf, we stay in touch with the investigator to check progress and submit any additional materials needed. If a non-referral notice arrives, we apply to inspect the record and write the objection, and after indictment we inspect and copy the trial records and submit a victim's written opinion that responds to the offender's arguments. In cases involving victims of sex crimes, Jisan Law acts as the victim's lawyer, attending victim interviews and trial hearings to state the victim's views (Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (성폭력범죄의 처벌 등에 관한 특례법) Article 27).