A patient lies in a hospital bed receiving treatment in an intensive care unit. This picture is not directly related to the story. (123rf)
A patient lies in a hospital bed receiving treatment in an intensive care unit. This picture is not directly related to the story. (123rf)

A Chinese national in his 50s has been referred to prosecutors on charges of attempted murder and aggravated assault after a stabbing attack in Seoul that left a man with severe facial and optic nerve injuries, police said Friday.

The Yeongdeungpo Police Station said it referred the suspect in custody on Thursday over the incident that took place days earlier in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul.

According to police, the suspect, who was intoxicated at the time, approached a group of Korean men on March 27 and suddenly attacked one of them with a weapon.

After the victim collapsed, the assailant is accused of further injuring him by stabbing him in the face with chopsticks.

The victim sustained serious damage to his face and optic nerve and is receiving treatment in an intensive care unit, with the possibility of permanent vision loss, authorities said.

Investigators said the suspect had earlier assaulted another person after opening the door of a parked vehicle in the area.

Police believe the attack was driven by a misunderstanding, with the suspect reportedly thinking that the group in a nearby car had mocked him. He is accused of waiting for the victim to leave the establishment before carrying out the assault.


hnpark@heraldcorp.com