Police Request Arrest Warrant for 40-Year-Old in 'Pickaxe Rampage' During KBS Radio Live Broadcast

Police logo. Photo by Asia Economy DB

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] The police have requested an arrest warrant for a man in his 40s who caused a disturbance by breaking the outer glass window of the KBS radio studio during a live broadcast with a pickaxe.

On the 6th, the Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul announced that they had applied for an arrest warrant for A (47), who is suspected of special property damage.

According to the police, A is accused of breaking the outer glass window of the open radio hall studio in front of the KBS headquarters in Yeouido with a pickaxe at around 3:42 p.m. the previous day, disrupting the live broadcast of KBS Cool FM (89.1 MHz) 'Hwang Jung-min's Music Show.'

During the police investigation, A stated, "My cellphone has been wiretapped for 25 years, but no one listens to me, so I did it out of frustration."

At the time of arrest at the scene, A was found to be carrying a gas gun and two small pickaxes in his bag in addition to the pickaxe used in the crime.

That day, 'Hwang Jung-min's Music Show' was broadcast live as a 'visible radio,' and the sound of the glass breaking was transmitted over the radio waves. Hwang Jung-min, the DJ, left the studio, and guest Kim Hyung-kyu finished the broadcast instead. A was subdued by the police who arrived on the scene and KBS staff.

During the incident, A injured his hand and received emergency treatment from the 119 rescue team dispatched to the scene, but no additional injuries were reported.

KBS released an official statement on the incident, saying, "We plan to actively cooperate with the police investigation by providing surrounding CCTV footage, etc."