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Man allegedly stabs shopper after drinking soju in grocery store, calmly smokes after attack

Published: 23 Apr. 2025, 18:04 Updated: 23 Apr. 2025, 19:46

Citizens walk by a supermarket near Mia Station in Gangbuk District, northern Seoul where a fatal stabbing incident took place on April 22. [NEWS1]

A 33-year-old man who was arrested on Tuesday for fatally stabbing a woman in her 60s while she was shopping committed the crime after drinking soju inside a supermarket and suddenly grabbing a knife from a display rack, police revealed Wednesday.

The attack left another woman in her 40s, an employee at the supermarket, seriously wounded.

The accused attacker had been hospitalized in a nearby orthopedic clinic for minor injuries at the time of the stabbing and allegedly carried out the assault in hospital clothes.

Authorities are currently investigating the man's motive, as residents near the scene of the incident — located near Mia Station in Gangbuk District, northern Seoul — recalled the horrific events, saying they had been unable to sleep due to the shock.

“I saw with my own eyes the woman crawling outside, bleeding, only to be stabbed multiple times again in the back,” said a shop owner who sells kimbap directly across from the supermarket where the attack occurred. “I couldn’t sleep a wink last night because I kept thinking about it.”

The incident took place during the evening rush hour, when the streets were filled with pedestrians, according to locals.

“The supermarket owner told me he reviewed the CCTV footage and it showed the man squatting inside the store drinking alcohol, then grabbing a knife from a display, removing the packaging and stabbing the woman,” said Lee Jae-gil, 61, who runs a butcher shop across from the supermarket. “He was so calm that no one thought he was the attacker. When police arrived and told him to stand against the wall, he said in a casual tone, ‘Wait, let me finish this cigarette,’ and the police actually waited.”

The man remained near the scene after the attack, smoking a cigarette and making phone calls, according to Gangbuk Police Precinct. He was arrested without resistance, and reportedly told investigators that he called 112 himself and confessed to the crime shortly after it happened.

The 33-year-old man who is accused of fatally stabbing a woman in her 60s is seen smoking outside a supermarket shortly before the incident happened on April 22, in this CCTV footage. [SHIN HYE-YEON]

Earlier that same day, around noon, the man visited the orthopedic clinic near Mia Station, claiming he had injured his finger while stumbling around drunk. He underwent surgery and was scheduled to be discharged on Wednesday, but the police visited the hospital the same evening and completed his discharge following the incident.

“He didn’t report any mental illness or depression during admission, so we followed normal procedures for surgery and hospitalization,” a hospital official said. “Since he didn’t even stay a full day, we don’t really know anything about him. If he had disclosed a mental health issue, we would have considered same-day discharge or applied special monitoring.”

Regarding the fact that the man left the hospital in patient clothing and went to a supermarket to drink, the official said, “We clearly inform patients that leaving without permission is prohibited and that consuming alcohol is absolutely not allowed,” adding, “What he did was a personal deviation.”

Citizens walk by a supermarket near Mia Station in Gangbuk District, northern Seoul where a fatal stabbing incident took place on April 22. [NEWS1]

Police are currently investigating whether the attack was a random act of violence or a premeditated crime.

Authorities plan to request a pretrial detention warrant for the man later on Wednesday.

BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]