Judges nationwide were found to have issued 9 out of every 10 warrants requested by investigative agencies last year, according to the latest Supreme Court data.

District courts across the nation approved the issuance of warrants for 319,136 out of a total of 345,650 suspects, or 92.3 percent, sought by the prosecution or police.

About 81 percent, or 27,089 out of 33,116, warrants for suspects to be taken into custody were issued, while 91 percent, or 166,877 out of 182,263, warrants for suspects’ offices or residences to be searched were issued.

The issuance rate has continued to climb over the past few years. It rose 7 percentage points to 81 percent last year, compared to 74 percent in 2009.

The warrant issuance rate for investigators requesting direct access to mobile conversations or Internet usage came to 94 percent ― 157 out of 167 requests.

The authority’s reported move to bolster monitoring of individuals’ messages on SNS providers has recently invited controversy. The prosecution has been denounced for allegedly seeking to monitor ordinary citizens’ private conversations via their KakaoTalk accounts.

Meanwhile, 40.4 percent, or 2,747 out of 6,802, suspects were released on bail by the court.

The Supreme Court data also showed that about 1.65 million individuals engaged in criminal cases in 2013, up 2.3 percent from the previous year.

Considering the estimated total population of 50.21 million, the figure means that 1 in 30 South Koreans was implicated in criminal cases including summary dispositions.

Excluding individuals who were ordered to pay fines under summary dispositions, 1 in 140 Koreans, or 357,556 suspects, were subject to court trials. Summary dispositions took up 44.9 percent of the total criminal cases.

In the initial ruling at district courts last year, two suspects were given the death penalty for murder charges and 27 suspects were handed life imprisonment sentences.

By Kim Yon-se (kys@heraldcorp.com)