Police leadership convenes emergency meeting after knife rampage in Incheon; steps up enforcement against carrying knives

[Financial News] Kim Jong-cheol, acting Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency, convened an emergency meeting in response to the knife rampage in Incheon and directed police nationwide to step up efforts to prevent violent crime.
According to the Korean National Police Agency on the 13th, after receiving a report that the incident had occurred that day, Kim convened an emergency meeting of bureau and department heads and held a videoconference with city and provincial police chiefs nationwide at 5:30 p.m.
At the videoconference, Kim received a briefing from the chief of the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency on the incident and the investigation and response measures. He then directed police to investigate the case swiftly and rigorously, including its motive, and to make every effort to protect and support the victims.
He called on city and provincial police chiefs nationwide to deploy sufficient personnel, particularly in crowded places, and step up efforts to prevent violent crime. In particular, he urged them to intensify preemptive crackdowns on carrying weapons in public places and on online posts threatening similar crimes, and to make an all-out effort to prevent copycat crimes and ease public anxiety.
After the videoconference, Kim plans to visit the scene of the Incheon incident to review the response there. He also plans to chair an additional meeting of relevant bureau and department heads this week, review legal and institutional shortcomings in efforts to prevent violent crime and respond to relationship-based crimes, and consider ways to address them.
Earlier that day, at around 1:40 p.m., a 59-year-old identified as A, who had a prior record for attempted murder, wielded a knife at patrons he had never met at a large commercial facility in Namdong-gu, Incheon.
Eight members of the public suffered injuries ranging from minor to serious in the incident. One was taken to hospital in cardiac arrest and is receiving treatment. A was subdued at the scene and arrested by police as a suspect caught in the act.
A was reportedly wearing an electronic monitoring device (ankle monitor) at the time of the attack. Police are investigating the exact motive and circumstances of the incident.

[email protected] Kim Ye-ji Reporter