In a shocking incident, a man drove his car onto a sidewalk in South Korea before alighting and launching a stabbing spree in a nearby shopping center. Officials report at least 14 injured in the nation’s second major stabbing incident this month.
The initial vehicular assault injured five individuals, with nine more suffering from stab wounds. The episode unfolded in Seongnam’s bustling area adjacent to a subway station, shared Yoon Sung-hyun, a representative of the Gyeonggi provincial police.
Local law enforcement swiftly apprehended a male suspect in his twenties. As of now, the assailant’s identity and any potential motivations remain undisclosed.
The attack was characterized as “essentially a terrorist act” by the National Police Agency’s chief.
Ha Dong-Geun, a Gyeonggi provincial fire department official, noted that at least two of the injured were in a grave state.
On-site images depicted investigative teams scrutinizing the AK Plaza’s corridors, the primary location of the stabbings. Nearby, a damaged white Kia hatchback stood, its front window shattered, and tire deflated.
A video shared by the Kyunghyang Shinmun newspaper, purportedly captured by an onlooker, displays a man, donning sunglasses and a black hoodie, ascending the mall’s escalator with an item in hand.
Hwang Hee-woon, a witness, recounted to YTN television the chilling moments. He described hearing screams from the mall’s ground level, leading onlookers to converge near the second-floor escalator for a better view. However, as word spread that the perpetrator was ascending, fear took hold, prompting Hwang and others to seek refuge, with some hiding in a cold storage room.
In a disturbing echo of the present incident, a man wielding a knife assaulted pedestrians in Seoul last month, leading to one fatality.
In light of these events, the National Police Agency convened a virtual meeting with regional police leaders, seeking strategies to counter such random acts of violence. The discussion, presided over by Commissioner Gen. Yoon Hee-keun, emphasized bolstering night patrols in populated areas and amplifying security camera surveillance efforts.
As South Korea grapples with the recent surge in random acts of violence, citizens and authorities are urged to remain vigilant and proactive. Strengthened security measures and public awareness are hoped to restore the sense of safety in urban areas. Amidst the chaos and tragedy, the nation seeks to unite in resilience, support, and unity.
