EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on Oct. 22

Random killing

In the random killing in Seoul on Monday morning that left six people dead, we
are seeing the ghastly result of a defective personality pitched against social
adversity. The alleged killer, identified as Chung, 31, reportedly told police
interrogators that he killed people because the "sesang," which means either
society or simply the people around him, "ignored" him. He also said he wanted to
die, but he chose to end others' lives, unable to take his own.
Let's take a look at the man first. Chung left his hometown in a southern
province for Seoul in 2002. He had been engaged in sundry jobs, living in a
shoe-box apartment with some 85 individual rooms on two floors big enough for
just a few normal housing units. He was unable to pay the rent and the fine for
his negligence in reservist duties. It was a typical loser's life in the
extremely competitive environs of Seoul.
He set up a plan and made preparations to carry it out, according to a police
report. On the morning of the killing, he strapped knives to his legs, carried a
gas gun in his pocket, wrapped himself in a black jumper and black pants, and
wore black ski mask with goggles. He doused his own bed with gasoline, then set
fire to it and stabbed several women as they came out of adjoining rooms, alerted
by the smoke from the fire. He ran to the upper floor and attacked more tenants.
He was captured by police while hiding in a compartment near his room.
Thus, one of the most heinous crimes in recent years was committed. Most of the
victims were women from China who were working in restaurants in the Yeongdong
market nearby. Psychologists give their opinion that Chung chose the powerless
victims because they were just "at hand," although he might have wanted to
destroy a bigger structure and attack more powerful people to take revenge on the
"sesang" for what he considered to be its unjust treatment of him.
Experts found weaknesses in him that compromised his selection of victims and
weaknesses that stopped him from killing himself but led him to wield his knife
at anyone in sight. The growing frequency of random killings indicate the
pervasiveness of sick minds that turn to violence against the weak to vent their
frustrations with their surroundings, jobs and relationships.
It is appalling to know that there may be many more Chungs who are preparing
grisly crimes against "sesang" today. Our society should combine all its
resources -- including civic groups, the media, religious establishments and
government authorities -- to find these sick people and treat their illnesses
before they commit violent acts.
The health authorities need to expand public access to the treatment of mental
illnesses through the universal insurance system. At all segments of society,
whether in schools, work places or military camps, counseling services by trained
personnel should be made available. Individuals should have no aversion to
seeking an expert opinion. Like in Western societies, they should discuss mental
problems with specialists, just as they do physical ones. Everyone has problems
in this stressful society of relentless competition.
Much thought is being given to what to do about the growing number of suicides in
our society, which have reached the highest level in the world. The same
attention should be directed to the most unfortunate phenomenon of random attacks
before the nation earns further notoriety for such incidents.
(END)