"Every dawn the woman next door comes out with a knife and throws salt, and the police say they can't do anything"... Terrified neighbor asks, [What Do You Think?]

[Financial News] A post on an online community has revealed the story of a resident who says they live in constant fear because a neighbor comes out in front of her house at dawn with a weapon and behaves in a bizarre way.

On the 9th, a post titled "I'm scared because a woman comes out at dawn with a knife and performs shamanic rituals" was uploaded to an online community. According to the writer, identified as A, the area is filled with old country houses, and the neighbor in question has repeatedly engaged in this behavior ever since she was forced to remove illegal additions such as a rooftop structure and exterior stairs.
A said, "I had to pass by that house early in the morning a few times and ran into her. She was standing at the entrance holding a sashimi knife and a bowl of salt, swinging or throwing the knife," adding, "She kept scattering salt not only in front of her house but all the way out onto the road."
Recalling the first time witnessing the scene, A said it was deeply shocking. "Seeing her standing there at dawn with a sharp sashimi knife was a huge shock," A said. "I've personally seen it three or four times." A added, "It looked like she was performing a shamanistic ritual to keep evil spirits from entering her home," and continued, "Anyone passing by would find it extremely threatening."
A said they called the police several times, but no clear action was taken. "At first, I reported that there was a person on the street holding a weapon, but she disappeared before the police arrived," A explained. "I reported it again later, but I was told it would be difficult to take action because there was no indication she was threatening a specific person."
A appealed, "She comes out at dawn over and over with a very sharp weapon like a sashimi knife, not a simple box cutter, and I feel this could easily lead to a serious accident, but I have no idea how to resolve it." The neighbor is reportedly not a professional shaman but an ordinary resident.

People who read the story online commented, "Anyone would be startled if someone did that at dawn," and, "How can they say it's not a threat when she's walking around with a knife? That's absurd." Others voiced concern for A's safety, saying, "What if she turns on the person who reported her?" and "She doesn't seem to be in her right mind. What if she harms the person who called the police?"
Some also argued that there is sufficient legal basis to restrict the neighbor's behavior. One commenter wrote, "Under Article 116-3 of the Criminal Act (Possession of a Weapon in a Public Place), the area in front of a house can be considered a public place because an unspecified number of people can pass through it, and the shamanic ritual cannot be seen as a justifiable act," adding, "There is ample legal ground for state authorities to intervene."
Article 116-3 of the Criminal Act (Possession of a Weapon in a Public Place) stipulates that a person who, without justifiable reason, possesses a weapon capable of endangering another person's life or body and displays it in a public place—such as a road or park—where an unspecified number of people can use or pass through, thereby causing anxiety or fear among the public, shall be punished by up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won.
sms@fnnews.com Seong Min-seo Reporter