Ministry of Justice says downgrade came after suspect showed cooperative attitude toward supervision

Choi Chung-rak, 59, suspected of attempting to kill 10 people by wielding a knife at a large commercial complex in Incheon, is transferred from the Incheon Namdong Police Station to the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office on Friday. [Yonhap]
Choi Chung-rak, 59, suspected of attempting to kill 10 people by wielding a knife at a large commercial complex in Incheon, is transferred from the Incheon Namdong Police Station to the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office on Friday. [Yonhap]

The electronic monitoring classification of Choi Chung-rak, 59, the suspect in the Incheon commercial complex stabbing rampage, was downgraded one level — from "high risk" to "intensive" — before he carried out the attack, it has emerged.

According to documents obtained from the Ministry of Justice by Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kim Dong-a of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Choi was classified as "high risk" — the second-highest tier in the electronic monitoring system — when he was released after serving time for attempted murder in 2019.

The electronic monitoring classification system for those wearing GPS ankle bracelets ranks offenders by reoffending risk in four tiers: "one-on-one," "high risk," "intensive," and "general." The Ministry of Justice adjusts supervision measures — including the frequency of probation officer interviews — based on the assigned tier.

Choi was initially classified as "high risk" upon being fitted with the ankle bracelet but was later moved down to "intensive." The exact timing of the downgrade has not been disclosed.

The ministry said it lowered Choi's classification because he had shown a cooperative attitude toward supervision, including actively participating in addiction counseling and psychological treatment. The probation officer responsible for Choi at the time was supervising a total of 18 individuals.

Earlier, Choi had been booked last month on charges of carrying a bladed weapon in a public place, allegedly out of frustration over his medical treatment. Police investigated Choi on Oct. 6 and notified the Ministry of Justice of the booking.

The ministry said the responsible probation officer conducted an in-person interview with Choi immediately after receiving the notification and took necessary measures following a factual inquiry.

On the day of the notification, the ministry instructed Choi to refrain from carrying bladed weapons. It did not raise his monitoring classification, however, having pursued only an application for additional compliance conditions while taking into account that Choi had not directed a weapon at anyone at that point.

Choi has a criminal record of 10 or more prior convictions. In 2004, he was punished for attacking an employee at a real estate agency with a knife, and in 2007 he stabbed his common-law ex-wife during an argument.

In 2015, he was sentenced to four years in prison on attempted murder charges after stabbing his ex-wife multiple times when she refused to reconcile with him. Deemed a high reoffending risk, he was ordered to wear an ankle bracelet until 2029, but on Oct. 13 he went on a stabbing rampage at a large commercial complex in Incheon, injuring eight people.


joze@heraldcorp.com