South Korean police on Friday disclosed the identity of the man accused of a knife rampage at a shopping complex in Incheon and searched his home as they press a case for attempted murder and weapons charges. Choi Choong-rak, 59, was detained after an Incheon District Court approved an arrest warrant following a hearing on 16 October.

The attack and injuries

Police say Choi attacked shoppers on 13 October with blades attached to both hands while riding an escalator between the second basement floor and the second floor of a commercial building in Incheon, west of Seoul. Eight people were wounded; prosecutors said he attempted to harm 10. One victim in her 20s suffered cardiac arrest, underwent emergency surgery, and remained unconscious in hospital days later, according to Yonhap News Agency.

Shoppers subdued Choi by throwing chairs before officers from Namdong Police Station took him into custody. President Lee Jae Myung visited the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency after the attack and called for a thorough probe, the presidential office said at the time.

Motive and prior contact with police

Investigators said Choi cited frustration over treatment for athlete's foot at a local hospital. He staged a solo protest outside the facility for about two and a half months from August, and the hospital reported him to police for carrying a weapon during those demonstrations. Choi told detectives he was angry that the hospital complaint led to a police investigation, Yonhap reported.

Police records show 10 prior convictions, including two for attempted murder, according to court and prosecution filings described in local media. At Friday's identity-disclosure review, authorities argued public interest outweighed privacy given the random targeting of civilians in a crowded mall.

Prosecutors requested detention on attempted-murder and public-weapons charges. The court issued the warrant citing flight risk after a roughly 20-minute review, SBS reported. Choi told reporters he was sorry as he entered the courthouse on 16 October but did not answer questions about why he targeted strangers.

On 17 October, police carried out a search of Choi's residence for about an hour, Yonhap's afternoon news summary said, seeking evidence on whether the attack was premeditated. Detectives are also reviewing security footage from the escalator and the 6.8 million won in cash Choi carried when arrested, which he said was unrelated to fleeing.

What investigators still need to establish

Acting National Police Agency Commissioner Kim Jong-chul ordered regional chiefs to tighten responses to public-space weapons incidents after the stabbing. Namdong police are interviewing witnesses and hospital staff to reconstruct how Choi assembled the dual-blade rig and whether earlier reports should have triggered closer monitoring.

Victim families have demanded a clear explanation in court. With Choi in pretrial detention, prosecutors typically have months to indict while medical teams continue treating the most seriously injured survivor.