Choi Chung-rak, who said he committed the crime “to make news,” falls short of the psychopathy threshold

[Financial News]  Test results showed that Choi Chung-rak (59), who was detained on suspicion of attempting to kill 10 people he had never met by wielding a weapon at a large commercial complex in Incheon, does not meet the criteria for psychopathy (antisocial personality disorder).
According to Yonhap News Agency and other outlets on the 22nd, the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency assessed Choi Chung-rak, who was detained on suspicion of attempted murder and carrying a weapon in a public place, at below 25 points after administering the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). The test has a maximum score of 40, and in South Korea, a score above 25 is classified as psychopathy.
Police brought in a profiler to conduct an interview, then assessed and quantified personality traits across 20 items in total, including impulsivity, lack of empathy, and irresponsibility.
Choi Chung-rak is accused of trying to kill 10 visitors by stabbing them with a weapon inside the C&C (see&see) building, a large commercial complex in Guwol-dong, Namdong District, Incheon, at around 1:48 p.m. on the 13th.
Of the 10 victims, eight were classified as injured and two were unharmed. A 19-year-old woman among the injured was taken to the hospital in cardiac arrest and underwent emergency surgery, but reportedly has yet to regain consciousness. All the victims were reportedly people Choi Chung-rak had never met.
During police questioning, Choi Chung-rak reportedly claimed, in effect: “I committed the crime to make news because I wanted to make (my grievances) known to society,” and “I did not choose a specific target; I picked someone who looked weaker than me.”

Police plan to continue analyzing evidence and conducting further investigations to determine Choi Chung-rak’s motive and whether the crime was premeditated, among other things.
Meanwhile, it was confirmed that Choi Chung-rak had 10 prior convictions resulting in fines or more severe penalties, including two for attempted murder. He was deemed at high risk of reoffending and ordered to wear an electronic ankle monitor until 2029, but reportedly committed the crime while wearing it.

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