50-Year-Old Man on Line 2 Charged with 5 Years Imprisonment for Weapon Assault

The prosecution has demanded a 5-year prison sentence for a man in his 50s who committed a stabbing rampage on the subway.

At the trial held on the 19th at the Seoul Western District Court, Criminal Division 7, presided over by Chief Judge Jeong Cheol-min, the prosecution requested a 5-year prison term for Hong Mo (51), who was indicted on charges of aggravated assault. Additionally, the prosecution asked the court to confiscate the evidence weapon used in the crime.

Hong is accused of swinging an 8cm-long multipurpose camping tool with a blade attached at passengers on the Line 2 subway train heading from Ewha Womans University Station to Sinchon Station around 12:30 PM on August 19. Due to the stabbing rampage, A (28) and B (29), a Taiwanese national, sustained facial injuries.

Hong’s defense attorney appealed for leniency, stating, "The defendant believed he was attacked without reason by dozens of people at the time of the incident," and "The weapon was a keychain attached to his house keys and was not carried with the intent to commit a crime."

During the trial, when asked about his occupation by the judge, Hong responded, "Major shareholder of Kookmin Bank," and showed signs of mental instability by claiming, "The police illegally arrested me and turned the victim into the perpetrator."

According to the prosecution, a note was found in Hong’s notebook stating that "a criminal company is attacking me." Hong is known to live alone as a reclusive loner with no interaction with neighbors. Furthermore, he was previously diagnosed with schizophrenia but has stopped treatment since January 2019.

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