Lee calls for proactive prevention of violent crimes to build 'supersafe' society

President Lee Jae Myung called for proactive prevention of violent crimes at a pan-government meeting on Friday, amid public safety fears following attacks in Incheon and Seoul. He urged officials to detect warning signs early and prepare a government-wide action plan to build a society where people can feel safe. The meeting included officials from nine government bodies, including the police and several ministries.

The Incheon stabbing attack injured several people, one of whom was left in cardiac arrest.

The suspected arson at two buildings in southern Seoul injured 19 people, one seriously.

A man was apprehended after allegedly stabbing his mother-in-law to death and kidnapping his estranged wife, despite previous warning signs.

Officials from the justice, gender equality, health, education and interior ministries attended, alongside police representatives.

Published Oct 23, 2026 11:17 am KST

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a pan-government meeting to discuss crime prevention efforts, Friday, at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul. Yonhap

President Lee Jae Myung on Friday called for proactive efforts to prevent violent crimes to ensure a "supersafe" society following a series of violent crimes targeting random victims or family members.

The president made the remarks at a pan-government meeting aimed at building a supersafe country amid heightened public safety fears following a stabbing spree targeting random people at a building in Incheon, just west of Seoul, last week and a suspected arson earlier this week, in which a man set fires at two buildings in southern Seoul.

Several people were injured in the stabbing attack, with one of them having been left in cardiac arrest, while 19 people were injured, one of them seriously, in the suspected arson.

Also last week, a man was apprehended after allegedly stabbing his mother-in-law to death and kidnapping his estranged wife, prompting public outcry over the police's failure to prevent the crime despite previous warning signs.

"This situation in which people are forced to worry about their safety in their everyday lives should not be allowed to continue," the president said, adding that response measures should be prepared with the determination to wage war against violent crimes.

He called on officials to devise a crime prevention system to detect warning signs in advance, calling for stronger crime prevention efforts.

The president also called for a pan-government action plan aimed at building a supersafe society, saying it would serve as a starting point for building a society "where anyone can tangibly enjoy safety and security."

The meeting brought together officials from nine government bodies, including ministers or vice ministers from the justice, gender equality, health, education and interior ministries, as well as the police.

在仁川和首尔发生恐怖袭击事件后，公众对公共安全感到担忧，李在明总统周五召开全政府会议，呼吁积极预防暴力犯罪。他敦促官员们及早发现预警信号，并制定全政府范围的行动计划，以建设一个令民众感到安全的社会。参加会议的有来自九个政府机构的官员，包括警察部门和多个部委。

仁川持刀袭击事件造成多人受伤，其中一人心脏骤停。

首尔南部两栋建筑物疑似遭纵火，造成19人受伤，其中一人伤势严重。

一名男子被指控刺死岳母并绑架分居妻子，尽管此前已有预警信号，但最终还是被警方逮捕。

司法部、性别平等部、卫生部、教育部和内政部的官员以及警方代表出席了会议。

发布于2026年10月23日上午11:17（韩国标准时间）

韩国总统李在明周五在首尔青瓦台出席政府各部门会议，讨论预防犯罪工作。（韩联社）

在发生一系列针对随机受害者或家庭成员的暴力犯罪事件后，李在明总统周五呼吁采取积极措施预防暴力犯罪，以确保一个“超级安全”的社会。

总统是在一次旨在建设超级安全国家的全政府会议上发表上述讲话的。此前，上周在首尔以西的仁川一栋建筑物内发生了一起针对随机行人的持刀袭击事件，以及本周早些时候在首尔南部发生的一起疑似纵火案（一名男子在两栋建筑物内纵火），引发了公众对安全问题的担忧。

在持刀袭击事件中，多人受伤，其中一人心脏骤停；而在疑似纵火事件中，19 人受伤，其中一人伤势严重。

上周，一名男子因涉嫌刺死岳母并绑架分居妻子而被捕，引发公众对警方未能阻止犯罪的强烈抗议，尽管此前已有预警信号。

总统表示：“这种让人们在日常生活中被迫担忧自身安全的状况不应继续下去”，并补充说，应下定决心制定应对措施，向暴力犯罪宣战。

他呼吁官员们制定犯罪预防系统，以便提前发现预警信号，并呼吁加大犯罪预防力度。

总统还呼吁制定一项旨在建设超级安全社会的全政府行动计划，称这将为建设一个“人人都能切实享受安全保障”的社会奠定基础。

会议汇集了来自九个政府机构的官员，包括司法部、性别平等部、卫生部、教育部和内政部的部长或副部长，以及警察部门的官员。