Seoul police move to prevent copycat and similar crimes ... all-out response ahead of Halloween

[Financial News] The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said it would designate the period from the 14th through the first of next month as the ‘Special Safety Operations at Crowded Places’ period and launch an all-out response effort to prevent copycat or similar crimes following the recent knife rampage in Guwol-dong, Incheon.
At 9:30 a.m. on the 14th, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Chief Go Beom-seok convened an emergency video conference with all police station chiefs and instructed them to deploy as many available personnel as possible to firmly protect residents’ daily lives as Halloween approaches and autumn events drawing large crowds take place.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency will step up preventive patrols at large shopping malls, subway stations and traditional markets, deploying local police, wide-area crime prevention patrol units and Mobile Police Units, among others. It also plans to deter crime by conducting stop-and-question checks on people suspected of carrying weapons or behaving suspiciously.
In particular, ahead of Halloween on the 31st, the agency plans to draw up preventive measures with local governments for crowded areas such as Myeong-dong and Itaewon.
In cases involving serious injuries caused by bladed weapons, the agency will deploy all available personnel from the outset, coordinate with every police station and other police agencies to make swift arrests, and in principle investigate suspects in custody. It will also monitor major online communities and social media in real time and operate a dedicated team to respond firmly to copycat crimes and acts of incitement, including posts announcing planned knife attacks and threats to bomb major facilities.
Chief Go said, “I will bring all our capabilities to bear on preventing violent crime and responding at the scene.”

[email protected] Seo Ji-yun Reporter