▲ Station employee injured in the "Wondang Station knife attack"
According to SBS coverage, the male station employee who stabbed and severely injured a female colleague with a weapon at Wondang Station on Seoul Subway Line 3 in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on October 28 gave statements based on delusions during police questioning.
Previously, the suspect in his 30s, identified as A, stated that on the day of the incident, "The victim pointed out that I smelled like cigarettes, so I sprayed air freshener on myself," adding, "I got angry and took an overdose of medication that I usually take."
However, investigation results showed that there was no confirmation that the victim, B, actually pointed out any cigarette smell to A on the day of the incident.
A police official explained, "It appears the suspect made statements based on delusions."
It was reported that A has been suffering from a mental illness, and it was also confirmed that Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) lacked any internal manual to monitor the health conditions of such employees.
A police official stated, "Korail replied that there is no internal manual to check the suspect's condition."
Circumstances suggesting that Korail failed to comply with its recruitment standards were also detected.
A joined Korail's general administration and sales job category in 2024 through a restricted competitive recruitment process for persons with disabilities.
According to the recruitment notice at the time, if an applicant has a "personality, behavioral, or mental disorder to the extent of being unable to adapt to work," they could be disqualified through an initial physical examination and subsequent regular examinations.
In response to an SBS inquiry asking whether employee management, such as regular examinations after recruitment, was conducted for A, Korail answered, "It has been confirmed that he underwent the initial physical examination at the time of recruitment."
Critics point out that the crime could have been prevented if regular management and supervision of A had been implemented.
Meanwhile, the Goyang Police Station in Gyeonggi Province is investigating A's specific motives for the crime and plans to transfer him to the prosecutors' office tomorrow, November 6, while keeping him in custody on attempted murder charges.
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