Korean student stabbed in random attack in Taiwan

A Korean student in their 20s studying abroad in Taiwan became the victim of a random stabbing attack in Taipei on Saturday morning.

A screen capture of the TVBS article [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A Korean student in their 20s studying abroad in Taiwan became the victim of a random stabbing attack in Taipei on Saturday morning.

According to Taiwanese media outlet TVBS and others on Sunday, a Korean exchange student was stabbed by a man wielding a weapon on a street in Ximending, Taipei, around 6:22 a.m. on Saturday.

The assailant fled the scene in a vehicle immediately after the attack. Police, responding to the report, tracked him down using nearby CCTV footage and apprehended him within 30 minutes. The suspect, a 39-year-old man identified as Chou, was reportedly intoxicated at the time of his arrest and has a prior criminal record for assault.

Chou told police, “I thought a group of Korean students were staring at me, so I took a weapon out of my trunk and committed the act.”

Police have referred him to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office on charges of attempted murder and endangering public safety.

The victim later posted on social media, saying they had gone to Ximending to attend a friend’s birthday party when they were attacked by a stranger.

“I decided to study abroad in Taiwan because I believed it to be safe and secure, but this incident has made me reconsider,” wrote the victim.

The university issued a statement saying, “The student is enrolled in the Chinese Language Center, and we will provide support if needed.” Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY KIM EUN-BIN [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]