Man rams car into 4, stabs 9 near subway station in South Korea

• Nine people were stabbed by the attacker.
• Suspect drove his car into four on sidewalk.
• Police soon arrested aggressor at the scene.

As many as 13 people were injured after a man hit people with his car and started stabbing others near Seohyeon subway station at a department store in Bundang, South Korea Thursday, Yonhap reported, weeks after a similar fatal assault left one dead.

An AFP report quoted an official at the National Police Agency as saying that the attack took place in a city about 20 kilometres (12 miles) southeast of Seoul.

Nine people were stabbed by the attacker, while four others were hit by the car before the rampage, according to Yonhap news agency.

The suspect in his 20s "had been arrested at the scene", the official said.

Unverified images of Thursday's attack showed what appeared to be a floor stained with blood drops and at least one emergency medical helicopter.

One person was killed and three wounded in another stabbing attack in the South Korean capital on July 21.

South Korea is typically an extremely safe country, with a murder rate of 1.3 per 100,000 people in 2021, according to official statistics.

By comparison, the United States has 7.8 homicide deaths per 100,000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Bundang, an affluent satellite city of Seoul, generally has a reputation for safe streets and residential neighbourhoods but the two stabbings triggered concern online.

"The attack [near the] Seohyeon station is really terrifying," one wrote on Twitter, which is being rebranded as X.

"How can we feel safe and comfortable going outside with incidents like this happening?

South Korea is generally recognised as an exceptionally safe country, boasting a low murder rate of only 1.3 per 100,000 people in 2021, as per official statistics.

The nation maintains strict gun control laws, making gun-related crimes rare occurrences. However, in recent years, there have been a few notable incidents involving stabbing attacks, further emphasising the importance of swift response and effective law enforcement.

Last month, a stabbing near the Sillim subway station in Seoul, South Korea, left one person dead and three others injured.

The authorities quickly responded to the scene and managed to detain the suspect, a man in his 30s, without any indications of intoxication. The motive behind the gruesome attack remains a subject of ongoing police investigation.

Yonhap news agency reported that the stabbing spree occurred close to Exit 4 of the subway station at approximately 2:07pm.

The police promptly cordoned off the area using yellow tape as they began their investigation.

Witnesses recounted the terrifying moments as the assailant randomly targeted innocent victims.

The incident serves as a sombre reminder of the importance of continued efforts to maintain public safety and prevent such devastating acts of violence in the future.