(Yonhap)
(Yonhap)

More than half of the suspects in knife crimes committed in public places last year were in their 50s or older, according to Seoul police data. Men accounted for 87.9 percent of the suspects.

An analysis of 307 cases found that the average age of suspects was 49.7, with 54.7 percent aged 50 or above.

At the time of the offense, 50.5 percent of suspects were either intoxicated or in what police described as an “abnormal mental state.”

As for motive, 46.7 percent of the cases had no clear motive. Disputes over noise between apartment floors, parking issues and acts of revenge driven by resentment accounted for 16.7 percent.

Knife crimes were most common in residential areas (40.4 percent), followed by commercial districts (25.4 percent). Only 6.2 percent occurred in adult entertainment districts. Most incidents took place at night on weekdays, rather than late at night on weekends.

Incidents were more frequent from Monday through Wednesday, accounting for 48.9 percent (150 cases), compared to 26.4 percent (81 cases) on weekends. By time of day, crimes were concentrated between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m., representing 45 percent (138 cases) and coinciding with the evening rush hour.

Kwack Dae-gyung, a professor of police administration at Dongguk University, said multiple factors, such as the dual responsibility for both aged parents and young children, economic pressure and strained relationships while feeling marginalized at home and in society, may increase the risk of criminal behavior among those in their 50s.


shinjh@heraldcorp.com