A memorial for 7-year-old Kim Ha-neul, the victim of the Daejeon elementary school murder case, is set up at a funeral hall in Daejeon, Feb. 11. Yonhap

The installation of child safety applications has surged in Korea following the murder of an elementary school student, reflecting growing parental concerns over child security, a data analysis firm said Friday.

According to Mobile Index, a data analysis service by IGAWorks, downloads of the Findmykids app spiked following the tragic news of the murder of Kim Ha-neul, a 7-year-old elementary school student in Daejeon, who was stabbed and killed by her teacher on Feb. 10.

On the day of the incident, the app was installed only 254 times. The next day, installations soared nearly 70-fold to 17,874. Daily active users also rose significantly, jumping from a range of 10,000 to 20,000 between Feb. 1 and 10, to 38,562 users after the incident on Feb. 11.

Findmykids, which has been downloaded over 50 million times globally from Google Play, also climbed app store rankings following the tragedy, reaching No. 12 on Google Play and No. 4 on the Apple App Store.

The surge highlights mounting parental anxiety about security vulnerabilities, particularly during after-school hours when students are not under direct supervision.

The app allows parents to track their child's location, listen to ambient noise, trigger a loud alarm, monitor app usage and check battery status. The ambient noise feature, which provided clues in the recent case, is viewed as a crucial tool in emergencies. Many parents believe this technology can be a lifesaver in dangerous situations, allowing them to assess threats and respond quickly.

However, concerns persist over potential misuse. Two years ago, parents reportedly used the app to eavesdrop on teachers' lessons, recording and sharing the audio in parent group chats. This sparked controversy, prompting the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations to urge the Ministry of Education to implement preventive measures. Critics argue such actions could violate the Protection of Communications Secrets Act, which prohibits unauthorized recording or listening to conversations via electronic devices.

The growing reliance on child safety apps has also raised concerns about privacy and ethical implications. Experts caution that while these tools offer reassurance, they could lead to excessive surveillance, potentially infringing on children's independence and trust.

The Korean government is considering regulatory measures to balance security and privacy concerns. Policymakers are evaluating whether app functionalities should be adjusted to prevent misuse while still allowing emergency access.