"Daylight Stabbing Rampage in the Heart of Seoul" Memorial Procession Amid Shock

Soju, Chrysanthemum, and Post-it Filled Venue
Merchant "Worried About Decreased Imports... Customers May Stop Coming"

On the 22nd, citizens continued to pay their respects to a man in his 20s who died in a 'random' stabbing incident near the shopping alley close to Sillim Station on Seoul Subway Line 2 in Gwanak-gu, Seoul.

The day before, Jo (33) wielded a weapon against pedestrians in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, from 2:07 p.m. for about three minutes. As a result, one man in his 20s died and three men in their 30s were injured. All four victims were strangers to Jo.

Memorial post-it notes attached at the scene of the 'random weapon rampage' in Sillim-dong.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Currently, one of the injured has received treatment and been discharged. The other two are still undergoing treatment. Fortunately, one of the injured, initially reported to be in critical condition, is also recovering.

Citizens could not hide their shock and anxiety over a stabbing rampage occurring in broad daylight on a weekday in the heart of Seoul, resulting in a fatality.

Meanwhile, the line of citizens paying tribute continues. More than 20 people visited between 8:30 a.m. and 8:40 a.m. that day. They placed white chrysanthemums on the ground and observed a moment of silence to pray for the deceased. A low table brought by someone was filled with alcohol and beverages offered to the deceased.

On the wall, about 100 post-it notes were densely attached with phrases such as "Sorry we couldn't protect you," "I came here with a troubled heart. It's tragic, absurd, and senseless," and "We dream of a safe Korea." Some mourners became teary-eyed while reading the post-its.

A nearby merchant who witnessed Kim's crime expressed anxiety but also worried about what would happen if customers stopped coming to Sillim-dong because of this incident. Seo, a self-employed person in Sillim-dong, said, "Watching the crime scene footage captured on CCTV makes me even more uneasy," and questioned, "What can you do if someone deliberately attacks you with a weapon?"

Kim, who works at a restaurant right next to the crime scene, said, "On the day of the crime, people fled into the restaurant, and it was literally chaos," and lamented, "Sales the day before also dropped by about half compared to usual."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.