One person was arrested after at least 13 people were wounded in a stabbing incident on Thursday in Seongnam, just south of the South Korean capital of Seoul. Photo: Weibo
The motive for the attack was not immediately clear.
The man went on a “stabbing rampage” near a South Korean subway station, police said on Thursday.
Photos from the scene showed forensic units examining the halls of the AK Plaza, where the stabbings took place. A white Kia hatchback with a broken front window and ruptured front tire could be seen on a pavement near the Seohyeon subway station.
Unverified images of Thursday’s attack showed what appeared to be a floor stained with blood drops and at least one emergency medical helicopter.
The National Police Agency held an online meeting on Thursday with regional police chiefs to discuss ways to deal with stabbings and other attacks against random targets.
During the meeting, National Police Agency Commissioner General Yoon Hee-keun described the attack as “virtually an act of terrorism.” Officials discussed increasing nighttime patrols in leisure districts and other crowded areas and strengthening security camera surveillance, according to the agency.
The incident comes just days after another rare stabbing attack in Seoul in which one person was killed and three others wounded.
