Six Injured in South Korea High School Stabbing, Suspect Rescued After Reservoir Jump

At least six people were injured after a student armed with a knife attacked staff members at a high school in Cheongju, South Korea, on Monday morning.

The 18-year-old suspect, reportedly enrolled in a special education program due to an intellectual disability, launched the attack around 8:40am local time, targeting teachers and staff but sparing fellow students, according to Yonhap News Agency.

The victims, including the school’s principal, were transported to a nearby hospital with injuries ranging from minor to serious, affecting the face, abdomen, and other body parts. Authorities confirmed that none of the injuries were life-threatening.

Following the attack, the suspect fled to a nearby lakeside park and leaped into a reservoir in an apparent attempt to escape. A passerby, identified only by the surname Kim, was injured in the head after encountering the fleeing suspect.

Cheongju police reported that the suspect was rescued from the reservoir within 12 minutes and subsequently hospitalized. An investigation is underway to determine the motive behind the attack.

Monday’s stabbing incident comes amid concerns over a rise in violent crimes in South Korea, despite the country maintaining a low homicide rate of 1.3 per 100,000 people. Recent months have seen several high-profile violent attacks, including a deadly supermarket stabbing last week, where a 33-year-old man fatally stabbed a woman after consuming soju, and a series of public attacks near subway stations and shopping areas.

Authorities are continuing efforts to address public safety following these incidents.