South Korea: 13 injured after man rams car onto footpath before stabbing people

At least 13 people have been injured in South Korea after a man rammed a car onto a footpath before getting out of the car and stabbing people inside a shopping centre.

The incident occurred near a subway station in the city of Seongnam during rush hour.

Yoon Sung-hyun, an official from the southern Gyeonggi provincial police department, said at least nine people were stabbed and four others were injured by the vehicle.Police did not confirm whether any were in serious condition.

An unidentified suspect in his 20s was arrested at the scene and is now being questioned by police.

Police did not immediately comment on any potential motive for the attack.

Photos show forensic teams examining the halls of the shopping centre, AK Plaza, where the stabbings took place.

The National Police Agency held an online meeting with regional police chiefs after the incident to discuss ways to deal with stabbings and other attacks against random targets. During the meeting, National Police Agency Commissioner General Yoon Hee-keun described the attack as “virtually an act of terrorism.”

Officials discussed increasing nighttime patrols in leisure districts and other crowded areas and strengthening security camera surveillance, according to the agency. Last month, a knife-wielding man stabbed at least four pedestrians on a street in the capital, Seoul, killing one person, police said.

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