Identity of 59-Year-Old Choi Chung-rak Disclosed... Response to Question About 6.8 Million Won

[Anchor]

The identity of the suspect arrested by police on charges of wielding a weapon at a commercial complex in Incheon, injuring citizens, has been disclosed. He is 59-year-old Choi Chung-rak. When asked why he attacked innocent citizens, Choi gave no answer.

Reporter Kim Gyu-ri has the details.

[Reporter]

A man with his face covered by a hat and a mask steps out of a police transport vehicle.

This is 59-year-old Choi Chung-rak, who went on a weapon rampage at a commercial complex in Guwol-dong, Incheon, on the 13th, as he arrived at the court for his pre-trial detention hearing.

[Choi Chung-rak : (Why did you commit the crime against strangers?) I am sorry. (Do you have anything to say to the victims?) I have committed a sin punishable by death.]

He gave the following explanation regarding the 6.8 million won he was carrying at the time of the crime.

[Choi Chung-rak : (Were you trying to run away with 6.8 million won?) No. I wasn't thinking of running away, but because this pressure came... (What kind of pressure are you talking about?) I staged a one-person protest for two and a half months due to side effects from treatment at a hospital, and instead, civil legal pressure was being applied against me.]

When asked by reporters why he committed a brutal crime against innocent citizens at a commercial complex while having a conflict with a hospital, he did not give any answer.

The victim's family expressed their outrage.

[Victim's Family : While I was on the phone for a moment, I witnessed my younger sibling being carried out on a stretcher. I really just want to ask him properly why he did this.]

The court hearing lasted only 20 minutes, and the court issued an arrest warrant, citing the risk of flight.

The police decided to disclose Choi's identity through a deliberation committee meeting on the afternoon of today (the 16th).

The police also plan to speed up their investigation to verify the motive and whether it was a premeditated crime, including conducting a search and seizure of his residence soon.

To this end, they also plan to question hospital officials mentioned by Choi and a probation officer who was with him right before the crime.

(Camera Reporter: Im Dong-guk, Video Editor: Lee Sang-min)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.