Police Raid Home of Choi Chung-nak, Who Attacked 10 People With a Weapon in Incheon

Police on the 17th searched the home of Choi Chung-nak (59), who is suspected of attempted murder and other charges for attacking 10 people with a weapon at a large commercial complex in Incheon. A search and seizure is a procedure in which police search a residence and take items in order to find evidence of a crime.

The Incheon Namdong Police Station carried out the raid from 8 a.m. to 9:20 a.m. on the 17th, deploying 10 personnel including investigators and forensic officers to Choi's residence in Gyeyang District. The purpose was to determine whether he had prepared for the crime in advance and to establish his motive. Police secured a memo pad, documents, and other materials during the search.

Choi was arrested on charges of attempting to kill 10 visitors with a weapon at around 1:48 p.m. on the 13th, inside C&C (see&see), a large commercial complex in Gyeongwon-dong, Namdong District, Incheon, which houses a hypermarket, a cinema, and other businesses. Of the 10 victims, 8 were classified as injured, including a 19-year-old woman who remains unconscious, while the other two were not seriously hurt.

During police questioning, Choi said in substance that he had grievances against the hospital where he was treated for a skin condition, and that the hospital had reported him, leading to a police investigation. He said he committed the crime to "make news" in order to "publicize his grievances socially."

He is known to have 10 prior criminal records carrying fines or heavier penalties, including a previous attempted murder conviction. In 2015, Choi stabbed his ex-wife in Bupyeong District, Incheon, and was sentenced to four years in prison for attempted murder, along with a 10-year electronic monitoring order, before being released in 2019.