Prosecutors Indict and Detain Man in His 40s Over Gangnam Hostage Incident

Lost in the delusion of having a "machine in the belly that can stop the heart"

A man in his 40s who took hostages at a household goods store near Gangnam Station has been brought to trial.

Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

The Criminal Division 3 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Jo Seok-gyu) announced on the 17th that Jang was arrested and indicted on charges of attempted hostage-taking, special injury, and obstruction of business the previous day.

According to the prosecution, Jang had been delusional for several years, believing that "there is a machine inside my abdomen that can stop my heart," and decided to make this known to the public. On the morning of the 4th, he deliberately staged a hostage situation in the heart of Gangnam.

At the time of the incident, the police received a 112 emergency call reporting "a hostage situation is occurring," and upon arriving at the scene, they confronted and arrested Jang.

The prosecution plans to provide full medical expense support and psychological treatment assistance to the victims who sustained minor injuries and were rescued at the scene, as part of crime victim support.

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