Man arrested and deported after swinging knife near Seoul subway station says it was just a prank

A man was arrested earlier this month after swinging a knife near a subway station in western Seoul, telling police he did it because he “likes dangerous and provocative pranks.”

A police logo [YONHAP]

A man was arrested earlier this month after swinging a knife near a subway station in western Seoul, telling police he did it because he “likes dangerous and provocative pranks.”

Authorities from the Seoul Guro Police Precinct said Wednesday that officers arrested the suspect in his 40s on charges of carrying a weapon in a public space. The suspect swung a knife near Namguro Station in Guro District, western Seoul, around 5 a.m. on Aug. 11.

Police conducted a stop-and-search and arrested the man at the scene. They also confiscated a 23.5-centimeter (9.2-inch) folding knife from his pocket.

Investigators confirmed during questioning that the suspect, a Chinese national, had been staying illegally in Guro District. Police then transferred him to immigration authorities, who carried out a deportation order.

The suspect reportedly told police that he “likes dangerous and provocative pranks."

Police said they plan to refer the case to prosecutors.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY JANG GU-SEUL [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]