Seoul [South Korea], August 4 : A day, after the mass stabbings case came into the spotlight in South Korea, the Police Chief on Friday said that they will beef up patrols and stop and search operations for suspicious people on the streets and declared it as a "special policing" operation, Yonhap News Agency reported.
On Thursday, 14 people were wounded with 2 in critical condition after a man drove a car onto a pedestrian walkway and went on a stabbing rampage at a department store in Seongnam.
"I'm declaring a special police action to counter heinous crimes until the people's anxiety is relieved," said Yoon Hee-keun, commissioner general of the National Police Agency (NPA), in a statement to the nation.
"We will selectively stop and search those suspected of owning a weapon or people acting strangely according to the legal procedures," the police chief said. He also ordered the police to actively use physical force, including the use of firearms or stun guns, in case of another stabbing rampage.
The commissioner general stated that they wil utilize the maximum police force in public places, including local police, riot police teams and police detectives, to strengthen patrols and suppress the atmosphere for criminal activity, according to Yonhap News Agency.
The police chief also said they will punish those who post threats to commit copycat crimes or spread fake news online "as severely as the law allows."
The police will additionally cooperate with local governments and private security guards to make sure people are safe in their living spaces and have discussions with related institutions about expanding infrastructure to secure public order.
In the Thursday attack, the attacker stabbed nine people, out of which eight of them are in critical condition. Before stabbing, the attacker hit five people with his car, out of which, two of them are severely injured, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The victims lie in the age group of 20s to 70s, reported Yonhap News Agency.
The witnesses present at the scene reported that the suspect wore a black outfit and sunglasses and brandished a knife which is estimated to be around 50 to 60 centimetres long.
After the incident, the police arrested around 20 suspects, who are only known by their surname Choi, reported Yonhap News Agency.
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