[News Space=Reporter seungwon lee] On April 30, around 5:55 PM, a knife-wielding incident occurred in the food court on the second basement floor of Hanwha Galleria Timeworld in Dunsan-dong, Daejeon, where a man attacked a woman in her 20s. According to the Daejeon Dunsan Police Station and the Daejeon Fire Headquarters, a man in his 40s, identified as 'A', was brandishing a weapon in the food court before being subdued by department store security guards and subsequently arrested by police on charges of attempted murder.

The victim, a woman in her 20s identified as 'B', sustained stab wounds to five areas of her body, including her arms, legs, and chest, and was transported to a university hospital after receiving emergency treatment. Both worked at different shops within the same basement food court. It was investigated that the altercation escalated after 'A' claimed they were previously in a romantic relationship.

The incident occurred at the underground restaurant area during the busy evening commute, turning the scene into chaos. Witnesses described the scene in online posts, stating, "People were running away in an instant and screaming," while some social media reactions read, "I was stunned to witness a stabbing in the middle of a department store."

This incident, occurring on the eve of the May golden holiday at a major department store in Dunsan-dong, Daejeon's busiest commercial district, during peak hours, drew reactions such as, "It is shocking that something like this could happen in Korea, a country known for strong public safety." One netizen commented, "I never imagined a stabbing would occur in a department store, which is considered the safest place," and poured out criticism regarding the role of safety personnel.

In particular, the fact that the perpetrator brought a weapon into the kitchen area of the shop where the victim worked to carry out the attack has raised concerns about the ambiguity of "responsibility for safety" in public spaces versus store interiors.

Large department stores are generally subject to fire and safety regulations for multi-use facilities over 400㎡, focusing on 'facility-based' safety management such as CCTV, fire equipment, emergency exits, and fire shutters. However, responses to interpersonal conflicts and violence are effectively left to private security firms. According to an analysis by the Korea Consumer Agency of approximately 900 accidents reported at department stores and large supermarkets over the past four years, over 68% involved equipment such as shopping carts and escalators. This has led to the assessment that "while accidents related to equipment and facilities are being managed, management of interpersonal conflicts and violence is relatively weak."

Following this Daejeon Galleria stabbing incident, many online communities reacted by stating, "Department stores are places where people gather, but they lack not only sufficient safety personnel but also response manuals." Some experts point out, "Premised on the fact that department stores are 'spaces where people gather' rather than just 'safe facilities,' the response manuals for mental and physical risks must be supplemented to include domestic violence, stalking, and industrial conflicts."

Similar Cases of 'Department Store Stabbings' Domestically and Internationally: AK Plaza Bundang and Taipei Department Store Incidents

On August 3, 2023, around 5:55 PM, a 'random knifing spree' occurred near the entrance of AK Plaza Bundang in Bundang-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. A man drove an ivory Kia Morning onto the sidewalk before entering the department store building and brandishing a weapon. The incident left 14 people injured, including one seriously and 13 with minor injuries. The suspect was arrested by police while hiding in a clothing store within the department store about 30 minutes later.

In December 2025, at a major department store in Taipei, Taiwan, a man in his 20s set off a smoke bomb and went on a 'random knifing spree,' killing four people and injuring 11. The crime began in the center of the bustling district around 5 PM and spread into the department store. Videos from the time depict the department store as a space that turned into "disorder and terror" in an instant.

Distrust of Safety in the "Safest Space = Department Store" and Concerns Over Countermeasures

The Daejeon Galleria stabbing incident has shaken the general perception that "department stores are safe," becoming an opportunity for a industry-wide re-examination beyond a single individual case. Despite being multi-use facilities visited by an average of over 100,000 to 200,000 people, it is pointed out that personnel and manuals for responding to interpersonal conflicts and violence are slow to be organized.

On the day of the incident, the Daejeon Galleria was crowded with citizens ahead of the holiday and was perceived as a "safest space," but the moment one person's conflict escalated into violence, that sense of safety collapsed instantly. This incident goes beyond merely 'A's crime' and raises a social question about how prepared department stores truly are for interpersonal conflict and violence.

Safety experts expressed their opinion, "There is a prevailing assessment that it is time for department stores to design for 'the safety of spaces where people gather' beyond the existing 'safety of facilities'," adding, "From now on, rather than the belief that 'department stores are safe,' we must build a safety system that combines people, information, and infrastructure based on the premise that 'there are risk factors everywhere people gather'."