South Korea to beef up security measures in the wake of back-to-back stabbing rampages

SEOUL: Police in South Korea will step up patrols and stop-and-search operations for suspicious people on the streets following a string of stabbing attacks.

The national police chief on Friday (Aug 4) declared a “special policing” operation, Yonhap reported. 

“I’m declaring a special police action to counter heinous crimes until the people’s anxiety is relieved,” said Yoon Hee-keun, commissioner general of the National Police Agency (NPA).

“We will selectively stop and search those suspected of owning a weapon or people acting strangely according to the legal procedures.”

He also ordered the police to use physical force, including firearms or stun guns, in case of another stabbing rampage, according to the Yonhap report.

The heightened measures were announced after the second stabbing attack in as many days. 

A man was arrested on Friday after stabbing a teacher at a high school in the central city of Daejeon.

The day before, a man rammed his car into passers-by, then got out and stabbed multiple people in a shopping mall in Seongnam. 

Fourteen people were injured, including two in critical condition. The mall is connected to the nearby Seohyeon Station and draws many commuters and shoppers.

In Seoul last month, a rare stabbing attack killed one person and wounded three others.

According to Yonhap, the suspect in Thursday’s stabbing rampage is a 22-year-old man surnamed Choi who has mental health issues. 

Investigators said he had dropped out of high school due to social phobia and was later diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder. He spoke incoherently during the initial questioning and claimed that “a certain group of people is stalking and trying to kill (him)”, said the police.