Preventing Recurrence of 'High School Girl Murder'... Police Chiefs to Respond Directly at the Scene

Acting Commissioner General Holds Nationwide Video Conference with Police Leadership

Enhanced Stop-and-Search for Suspicious Individuals, Station Chiefs to Respond On Site

The police are strengthening crime prevention activities following the recent stabbing and murder of a high school girl in Gwangju. In particular, for major incidents, the head of the local police station will be required to respond directly at the scene.

Yu Jaeseong, the acting Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, delivered these instructions during a nationwide video conference with police leadership on the afternoon of May 8. In response to rising public anxiety over violent crimes such as the recent high school girl's stabbing, the leadership decided to suppress the atmosphere of crime and prevent similar offenses from recurring through visible police activities.

On the morning of the 7th, at the Gwangju District Court in Dong-gu, Gwangju, the suspect Jang was being taken to the courtroom to undergo a pre-arrest hearing for a 'random killing' case. Photo by Yonhap News

First, patrols will be strengthened in sparsely populated areas by deploying as many personnel as possible, including local police, metropolitan prevention patrol units, and mobile units dedicated to public safety. Individuals suspected of carrying weapons or displaying unusual behavior will be subject to stop-and-search procedures according to regulations. Patrol coverage will also be expanded in cooperation with volunteer crime prevention groups and private security companies.

In particular, emergency calls to 112 reporting public threats or the possession of weapons in public places will be designated as top-priority incidents, such as 'Code 0,' to ensure a swift suspect apprehension system. For major cases, the head of the corresponding police station will be dispatched to the scene to take immediate action.

Acting Commissioner General Yu emphasized, "The police's top priority is preventing crime and ensuring public safety." He further instructed, "Provincial police chiefs and station chiefs must directly oversee whether the measures discussed are being properly implemented on site," and added, "Listen to the opinions of local residents and continue to improve your responses accordingly."

Meanwhile, around midnight on May 5, a man in his 20s surnamed Jang stabbed and killed a second-year high school girl, identified as Ms. A, near a university in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. He also attacked another high school student, Mr. B, with a weapon, causing serious injuries. Jang has been arrested on charges of murder and attempted murder. On this day, the police conducted a psychopathy (antisocial personality disorder) evaluation on Jang and convened an identity disclosure review committee to decide whether to make his personal information public.

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