Incheon police have publicly identified Choi Chung-rak, 59, as the suspect in a knife attack at a large commercial complex in the cityโs Namdong district. Choi is being held on suspicion of attempted murder after the October 13 incident, in which multiple people were injured. The identification followed a review by the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency on October 16.
The agencyโs identity disclosure committee unanimously approved releasing Choiโs name, age and photograph. Police said the panel considered the alleged brutality of the crime, the seriousness of the harm, the strength of the evidence and the public interest under the law governing disclosure of suspects in serious crimes. Choi did not object to the decision, allowing publication without an additional waiting period.
Police panel unanimously approved the disclosure
Police said the attack began at about 1:48 p.m. on the second and third floors of the complex in Guwol-dong. Published accounts differ on the total number of victims: one report said 10 people were attacked, while several others reported that eight people were injured. One report said a 19-year-old woman was taken to hospital in cardiac arrest and remained in critical condition with mechanical breathing support.
- Suspect
- Choi Chung-rak, 59
- Incident date
- October 13, 2026
- Location
- A commercial complex in Guwol-dong, Incheon
- Disclosure period
- October 16 through November 16, 2026
- Reported toll
- Accounts differ between 10 people attacked and eight people injured
The disclosure is scheduled to remain available for 30 days, from October 16 through November 16. It represents a formal police decision that the statutory conditions for identifying a serious-crime suspect were met. The allegations have not yet been resolved through a criminal trial, and the disclosure decision does not itself establish guilt.
Separate coverage has focused on civilians and nearby merchants who intervened during the attack. Online users have also circulated messages encouraging support for a restaurant operated by one of the people reported to have helped restrain the suspect. The immediate focus of the investigation remains the condition of the victims and the progression of the attempted murder case.