Eight Wounded in Stabbing Attack at South Korean Supermarket, Say Police

Eight people were injured in a stabbing attack at a commercial complex in Incheon, South Korea, on Tuesday, October 13, with one woman in her 20s suffering cardiac arrest. Police arrested a 59-year-old suspect who was reportedly wearing an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet and are investigating the motive behind the attack.

The incident occurred at around 1:40 pm at a food court on the second floor of a commercial building in Guwol-dong, Namdong District, which houses a Homeplus supermarket. Homeplus clarified that the attack took place outside its store.

According to witness accounts, the suspect appeared to have knives strapped to both hands and attacked people as he moved through the building. He allegedly began stabbing people near the basement-level discount store before moving between floors using escalators. Bystanders eventually subdued him and handed him over to the police. Several additional knives were reportedly found in his bag.

All eight victims were taken to nearby hospitals. One woman in her 20s was in cardiac arrest when she arrived at a hospital and underwent surgery. The other seven victims also sustained injuries, although authorities did not immediately disclose their conditions.

South Korean media reports revealed that the suspect had previously been sentenced to four years in prison for attempting to murder his former wife in 2015. Following his release, he was ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device for 10 years. He was reportedly penalised in 2022 for violating restrictions on leaving his residence while under electronic monitoring.

Broadcaster SBS reported that police found suspected drugs among the suspect's belongings. He reportedly told investigators that he had taken drugs before the attack, prompting plans for further assessment to identify the substances. He had also reportedly been booked last month over an alleged incident involving a weapon outside a hospital in Incheon.

Police are questioning the suspect and investigating the motive, circumstances and possible premeditation behind the attack. The incident has renewed concerns about knife violence in South Korea, which witnessed several stabbing attacks in 2023.