Knife attack at shopping mall in South Korea: There are injuries

A knife attack at a shopping mall in Incheon, South Korea, caused panic. A total of 8 people, including 6 women and 2 men, were injured in the incident that occurred at around 13.40 local time on Tuesday.

According to local media reports, the 59-year-old attacker, who entered the shopping complex where the Homeplus supermarket is located, attacked the people around him with a knife while he was walking on the escalators.

While all the injured were taken to the hospital, it was reported that a woman in her 20s had a cardiac arrest and was taken into surgery after the intervention of medical teams. It was stated that the other injured people received various injuries in their back and shoulder areas.

According to the statement made by Incheon Namdong Police Station, the suspect attacked people on different floors of the shopping mall with knives tied to both hands.

The attacker was neutralized after the surrounding citizens intervened by blocking his way with chairs. The suspect was detained by police teams who arrived at the scene.

Security forces reported that 10 knives were seized from the attacker's backpack. Following the incident, an emergency response center was established on the first floor of the shopping mall. The police launched an investigation to determine the cause of the attack.

It was determined that the detained suspect was wearing an electronic monitoring handcuff during the attack.

According to information in the local media, the attacker was previously convicted of attempted murder and spent 4 years in prison.

The revelation that the suspect had been involved in violent crimes in the past brought the debates about electronic monitoring and control practices in the country back to the agenda.

The South Korean Ministry of Justice announced that it would review the processes regarding the supervision of the suspect following the incident.

In South Korea, known for its low crime rates, knife attacks targeting random people in recent years have caused public concern.

In the country, such events are defined by the expression "Mudjima", which means "Don't ask why" in Korean. The concept is used for violent incidents where there is no personal connection between the attacker and the victims and the reason for the attack is not clearly understood.

A series of attacks in 2023, in which many people died or were injured, led to security discussions in the country.

In April 2025, a man in his 30s attacked random people in a supermarket, causing the death of a woman in her 60s.

Police teams are investigating the purpose of the detained suspect for the attack and his movements before the incident.

Authorities announced that the investigation is continuing to determine whether the attacker has any connection to the victims.