Man in His 60s Gets Suspended Sentence for Threatening Women in Their 70s with a Weapon in Subway Priority Seating Area

Public threat aboard a Line 1 train bound for Uijeongbu
Court: "Took into account his severe disability, among other factors"

A man in his 60s who threatened women in their 70s with a weapon and verbally abused them on a subway train was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years.

Seoul Northern District Court announced on November 15 that Presiding Judge Seo Younghyo of Criminal Division 11 had sentenced Mr. A, 60, who was indicted on charges of making threats in public, to six months in prison, suspended for two years. The court also ordered the confiscation of the three utility knives he possessed.

Mr. A was indicted on charges of taking a utility knife from his pocket at around 1:25 p.m. on September 28, 2025, aboard a Seoul Subway Line 1 train bound for Uijeongbu, pointing it at three women in their 70s seated in the priority seating area, threatening to kill them, and verbally abusing them.

Investigators found that Mr. A went further, continuing to shout at an unspecified number of passengers on the train.

However, the court took into account that Mr. A admitted to the offense and expressed remorse, that he has a severe disability, that his only prior violent offense resulted in a fine, and that he had no prior record of violent crimes involving weapons. The court also considered that he had pledged not to reoffend with the support of care from his family.

The court explained its sentencing rationale, saying, "We considered the defendant's age, occupation, intelligence, circumstances, family relationships, financial situation, and health."

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