Man kills neighbor with sword

(123rf)

The South Korean police said Tuesday that it has arrested a 37-year-old man for murdering another man with a Japanese-style sword at an apartment complex in Seoul.

The suspect is believed to have attacked the victim in his 40s at around 11:30 p.m. on Monday near the entrance of the complex's parking lot in Eunpyeong-gu, northwestern Seoul. He and the victim were both residents of the complex and were acquainted, but not particularly close.

It was reported that the suspect picked a fight with the victim on the sidewalk near the complex, then swung the weapon at him when the victim tried to call the police. The victim was carried to a nearby hospital for treatment, but was unable to recover.

The suspect fled to his home after the crime, and was apprehended by the police there about an hour later.

Investigators said that the suspect does not appear to have been under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the crime, and they will conduct a rapid drug test on him. They are continuing to investigate the case.

It was found that the weapon -- an 80 centimeter-long sword -- used in the crime had been registered and authorized by the police as a decoration. Korea's Control of Firearms, Knives, Swords, Explosives, Etc. Act. requires any blade over 15 centimeters in length to be authorized by the police.

Those who are banned from possessing such items include patients suffering from epilepsy or mental illnesses, alcoholics and addicts of illegal drugs, and former convicts who served sentences less than five years prior. In this case, officials had authorized the suspect to own the weapon as he had no previous record of criminal activity or other restricted conditions.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)