Man in His 50s Arrested for Turning Off Electronic Tracking Device and Threatening Stabbing Rampage

A man in his 50s has been arrested after draining the battery of his electronic tracking anklet to turn it off while under a provisional stalking restraining order and threatening to go on a stabbing rampage.

Judge Yang Hwan-seung, the senior judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Eastern District Court, held a pre-trial detention hearing (warrant review) for the man, A, this afternoon (the 3rd) and issued an arrest warrant, citing a high risk of flight due to the gravity of the crime and a lack of social ties, as well as a high risk of reoffending.

A arrived at the court wearing knee-length shorts, with the electronic anklet visible on his left ankle.

After the warrant review, he did not answer questions from reporters, such as why he let the electronic anklet run out of battery and why he informed the probation office in advance of his plan to stage a stabbing rampage.

A, who had been placed under a provisional measure requiring him to wear a location-tracking electronic device due to a stalking case, is accused of calling an official at the Seoul Eastern Probation Office on the 1st and threatening to carry out a knife attack at the presidential office, the National Police Agency, and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

He is also charged with intentionally letting the electronic anklet run out of battery by refusing to charge it.

Responding to a report from the probation office, police made an emergency arrest of A on the streets of Naesu-dong, Jongno-gu, at around 12:20 PM on the 1st, and requested an arrest warrant on the 2nd.

No weapons were reportedly found on A.

Regarding A's stalking charges, the prosecution indicted him in September, and a trial is currently underway.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.