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Foreigner arrested for threatening group with knife in Hwaseong

Published: 19 May. 2025, 21:19 Updated: 21 May. 2025, 14:23

A handcuffed prisoner in jail [GETTY IMAGES BANK]

A foreign national in his 40s was apprehended after threatening a group of people with a knife during the early morning hours at a park in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi.

The Hwaseong Dongtan Police Precinct said Monday that it had detained the suspect on charges of public intimidation.

The suspect is accused of approaching five people in their 20s with a knife at around 4:03 a.m. at a pub deck near Dongtan Lake Park, reportedly threatening them after they had been drinking.

The victims scattered as the suspect approached them with a weapon. He then singled out and pursued one man who ran into the pub and held the door shut to block the suspect, according to police.

When the suspect failed to open the door, he turned his attention to another member of the group and began chasing them. When that too failed, the suspect fled the scene on a stand-up electric scooter.

Police, dispatched to the scene following a report, located the suspect at 4:39 a.m. — about 30 minutes after the incident — who fell off the kickboard after being stopped by a detective nearby and was detained on the spot.

At the time of the apprehension, the suspect was heavily intoxicated and carrying three weapons.

The suspect is not an undocumented immigrant, police said, though his occupation is unknown. He had no prior connection to the victims.

“This case could have escalated into a more serious incident involving random victims,” a police official said. “Our swift response helped prevent any additional harm.”

Police are reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing the victims as part of the investigation. They plan to apply for an arrest warrant and upgrade the charge to attempted murder once the inquiry is complete.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]