"Not Enough as Self-Defense"… Citizens Seeking 'Banggeombok' Amid Stabbings

Search Volume Soars Less Than a Day After Seohyeon Station Incident
Increase in Searches and Sales of Self-Defense Products Following Weapon Rampage Incident

Recently, following the frequent occurrence of 'random stabbing incidents' such as the 'Sillim-dong incident' and the 'Seohyeon Station incident,' searches for self-defense products, including 'stab-proof clothing,' have surged.

"No answer if stabbed before using self-defense products"... Surge in searches for 'stab-proof clothing'

Bulletproof clothing sold at an online shopping mall.
[Photo source=Screenshot from online shopping mall]

According to Naver Trends as of 2 p.m. on the 4th, the search volume for 'self-defense products' and 'stab-proof clothing' was almost negligible over the past six months. However, after the 'Sillim-dong incident' last month and the 'Seohyeon Station incident' on the 3rd, the search volume for self-defense products and stab-proof clothing increased significantly.

Notably, the search volume for 'stab-proof clothing' surged sharply immediately after the Seohyeon Station incident occurred at around 5:58 p.m. on the 3rd.

Compared to the surge in searches for 'self-defense products' following the Sillim Station incident, the increase in searches for 'stab-proof clothing' was not as remarkable. However, within a day of the Seohyeon Station incident, the search volume for 'stab-proof clothing' rose rapidly to 69% of that for 'self-defense products' on the 3rd.

This also marks the highest search volume for 'stab-proof clothing' in the past six months.

Given that both incidents involved indiscriminate attacks on pedestrians and were stabbing rampages, it appears that the increase in searches for stab-proof clothing was driven by a desire to defend against potential dangers.

"I protect my own body" - Searches and purchases of self-defense products soar

Pepper spray, three-section staff, electric shocker, and other self-defense items. [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to Naver Shopping on the day after the Sillim Station incident, the 22nd of last month, the most searched term among women in their 20s to 40s and men in their 20s to 50s was 'self-defense products.'

In particular, pepper spray ranked 4th among the 'most purchased products' on Naver Shopping overall.

Furthermore, the 24th of last month was recorded as the day with the highest search volume for 'self-defense products' in the past six months.

This also seems to reflect a growing atmosphere where people want to protect their personal safety after 'random stabbing' incidents occurred in crowded places.

Although the search volume for 'self-defense products' declined over the following two weeks, it surged again after the stabbing rampage at Seohyeon Station on the 3rd.

Similarly, even though less than a day had passed since the incident, the search volume reached about 78% of the peak on the 24th of last month.

As the trend of purchasing self-defense products spreads, Professor Kwak Geum-ju of the Department of Psychology at Seoul National University explained, "When 'random crimes' like the Sillim-dong incident occur, people lose trust in others and develop a mindset that they must protect their own safety. This is a phenomenon where individuals feeling anxiety try to protect themselves."

Additionally, Professor Kwak Dae-kyung of the Department of Police Administration at Dongguk University stated, "It would be ideal to have systems or institutions that can preemptively identify and prevent people who pose a crime risk, but realistically, individuals protecting and defending themselves is the primary solution."

Sillim-dong and Seohyeon Station... 'Indiscriminate stabbing rampages' in busy areas

The suspect, Cho Seon, in the 'Sillim-dong Stabbing Incident' that resulted in four casualties, is being transferred from Gwanak Police Station in Seoul to the prosecution on the morning of the 28th of last month.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Sillim-dong incident, which occurred on the 21st of last month, involved a perpetrator indiscriminately attacking strangers with a weapon in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul.

The suspect, Cho Seon (33), is accused of wielding a weapon near Exit 4 of Sillim Station on Seoul Subway Line 2, killing a man in his 20s and injuring three other men.

Regarding his motive, Cho stated that "I live unhappily, so I wanted to make others unhappy as well, and I committed the crime in a fit of rage."

The Seohyeon Station incident on the 3rd involved a man driving a compact car who rammed onto the sidewalk at Seohyeon Station in Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Province, and then carried out a 'random stabbing rampage' on the first and second floors of AK Plaza.

There were a total of 14 victims: 5 from the vehicle collision and 9 from the stabbing.

Yoon Hee-geun, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, described the incident as "virtually an act of terrorism," emphasizing, "We must conduct a swift and thorough investigation of the suspect, apply all possible punitive measures including detention, and ensure strict punishment is enforced."