Tuesday afternoons emerged as the most common setting for weapon-related crimes in Seoul last year, with middle-aged and older men accounting for the majority of suspects, according to data released Thursday by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
Crimes involving sharp weapons rose to 307 cases in 2025, the agency said, based on an analysis aimed at shaping more targeted prevention measures. The review covered offenses ranging from carrying knives in public to wielding and stabbing.
Tuesday recorded the highest number of cases with 56, and the Monday to Wednesday period logged 150 incidents, nearly double the weekend total.
The data also challenge the assumption that such crimes mainly occur at night or in nightlife districts. Some 138 incidents took place between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., while residential neighborhoods accounted for 124 of the cases. Entertainment areas saw just 19.
Suspects in their 50s, 40s and 60s made up nearly 70 percent of offenders. Police found 155 individuals who were intoxicated or in need of psychological support, and neighborhood disputes, such as interfloor noise or parking conflicts, accounted for about 10 percent of cases.
Based on the findings, police are recalibrating preemptive response measures by deploying mobile units to repeat trouble spots and expanding patrols during early weekdays and late afternoon hours. Artificial intelligence cameras and drones will be rolled out beginning in April as part of strengthened crime prevention efforts.
forestjs@heraldcorp.com
