President Lee Jae-myung made an emergency visit to the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency over a stabbing attack at a large supermarket complex in the city and ordered sweeping measures to prevent violent crime. He also called for a full review of the oversight system for people wearing electronic ankle monitors and for fundamental improvements.
Sung Ki-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations and communication, said in a written briefing on the 13th that Lee visited the Incheon police agency immediately after returning to Seoul from a schedule in Busan, where he was briefed on the circumstances of the case, the status of the investigation and the condition of the victims.
Earlier that afternoon, a man wielded a knife at a commercial facility housing a large supermarket in Guwol-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon, injuring nine people. One woman in her 20s underwent emergency surgery and is being monitored, while the other eight are not in life-threatening condition. Police arrested the suspect at the scene and are investigating the exact motive and circumstances.
Lee had been in Busan for a welcoming ceremony for a trial voyage on the Arctic shipping route and an encouragement visit to the unveiling of HMM's new headquarters sign. He returned to Seoul that evening and went straight to the Incheon police agency. After a briefing from Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Yoo Seung-ryul, Lee called for a swift and rigorous investigation. He asked for particular attention to the treatment and recovery of the victims and to protecting their safety.
"Devise extraordinary measures against violent crime that inflicts serious harm on innocent citizens and socially vulnerable people and threatens the peaceful daily lives of the public," Lee said. He added: "I emphasize that protecting the lives and safety of the people is the police's most basic and important duty. Prepare effective measures to prevent similar incidents from recurring, and concentrate all capabilities on preventing violent crime and responding swiftly."
He also instructed officials to "thoroughly review the entire oversight system for people wearing electronic ankle monitors and prepare fundamental improvement measures for any problems that emerge."
The on-site briefing was attended by police officials including Kim Jong-cheol, acting commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, and Incheon Mayor Park Chan-dae. From the presidential office, Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, Policy Chief Ha Joon-kyung and Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs Han Chan-sik were present.