'Failed Intellectual Disability Assessment for Son' Leads to Knife Threats... Man in His 40s Arrested

by Ji Hyejin

Published 30 Sep.2026 18:01(KST)

Visited National Pension Service to Commit Crime... Charged with Special Intimidation

A man in his 40s has been apprehended by police after visiting a relevant agency with a weapon, apparently out of resentment over his high school son's failure to be recognized as having an intellectual disability.

The Seoul Gangdong Police Station announced on September 30 that they have detained and are investigating a 46-year-old man, referred to as A, on charges of special intimidation after he threatened employees of the National Pension Service with a weapon due to his son's failure to be assessed as having an intellectual disability.

Seoul Gangdong Police Station. Photo by Yonhap News

Mr. A is suspected of having visited the Gangdong Hanam Branch Office of the National Pension Service with a kitchen knife at around 1:30 p.m. the previous day, and telling staff, in effect, "If my son is not registered as disabled, I will not leave this as is."

It has been confirmed that no one was injured during the incident.

The National Pension Service conducts a review process to assess the degree of disability, and it is reported that Mr. A’s son was not classified as having an intellectual disability.

Under the Welfare of Disabled Persons Act, an intelligence quotient (IQ) of 70 or lower meets the criteria for intellectual disability. However, while Mr. A’s son does have an IQ of 70, it is understood he was disqualified due to other factors.

It is reported that Mr. A became enraged during a phone inquiry with a National Pension Service employee and subsequently committed the act. Acting on a report from the agency, police became aware of the crime and arrested Mr. A near a special education school in Songpa District, where his son is enrolled, at around 2 p.m. that day.