Flash Bulletin - The August 3rd Attack in Korea
Key findings
14 people were injured on August 3rd in a car rampage and stabbing near Seoul.
A similar attack took place on the 23rd of July, killing 1 and wounding 3.
Terrorism is rare in South Korea. Still, the term is being used by authorities to describe the August 3rd case.
There are fears of copycat attacks following monitored online chatter.
The use of the term may not meet legal standards. Still, it could indicate an emerging threat in Korea of terrorism motivated by social grievances and inspired by international events and narratives shared in online communities.
Geopolitical tensions may also have increased risks in South Korea.
Report
On August 3rd, 2023, 14 people were injured in a car rampage and stabbing near Seoul - this is devastating news, and our thoughts are with the victims. South Korean authorities are calling the attack an act of terrorism.
The use of the term terrorism is not well defined, and considering the infrequency of such acts in South Korea, the use of the term by the authorities captured our interest.
After the Korean War, most attacks have been caused by North Korea. There have, however, not been as many attacks following the fall of the Soviet Union. The White Shirts Society, a fascist Korean terrorist organization, was dissolved at some point around 1950.
Terrorism, and even homicides, are extremely rare in South Korea, yet this is the second stabbing rampage in the past two weeks. The last incident took place on Sunday, the 23rd of July, killing one and injuring three. The perpetrator of that attack has stated he committed the attack “because life was hard for me.” The perpetrator is being charged with murder, having stated multiple times during the interrogation that he was “full of rage” and wanted to “make other people unhappy.”
Following the attack of August 3rd, the government enhanced manpower to prevent similar attacks from happening. Online posts circulated threatening copycat crimes in the immediate aftermath of the attack. The police say they are investigating these threats.
The suspect of the attack has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and was a high-school dropout. The motivations behind the attack remain unknown. So does any affiliations of the perpetrator. It is thus hard to tell if he meets the legal criteria for the use of the term terrorism.
The legal use of the term terrorism is often based on intent, motivation, ideology, or affiliation with groups. The Act on Counter-Terrorism for the Protection of Citizens and Public Security of Korea defines terrorism as conduct carried out for the purpose of impeding the exercise of the authority of the State, a local government, or a foreign government (including a local government of a foreign country and an international organization established in accordance with a treaty or any other international agreement), or for the purpose of causing it to conduct any affair which is not obligatory on it or threatening the public.
According to the same legislation, the term "terrorist suspect" means a member of a terrorist group, a person who has propagated a terrorist group, raised or contributed funds for terrorism, or engaged in other activities of preparing, conspiring, propagandizing, or instigating terrorism, or a person who has a good ground to be suspected of having performed such activities.
The implementation of the Act in 2016 followed the longest filibuster in South Korea’s history. The eight-day filibuster was reflective of the opposition’s fears surrounding expansive executive and agency discretion, which could undermine human rights and endanger the rights of citizens and foreigners against unwarranted government intrusion.
Following the attack on August 3rd, Police Commissioner General Yoon Hee-Keun stated that unlike traditional crimes driven by personal resentment, the apparent attack was, in effect, an act of terrorism in that anyone can become a victim.
The mental health and social status of the perpetrator of the August 3rd attack, the circumstances of the July 23rd attack, and the fears of copycats on the basis of online chatter might lead us to believe the main motivations behind these attacks are social grievances rather than political motivations or affiliations with terrorist groups. Past grievance-based attacks in South Korea, such as the 2003 Daegu subway fire and the 2008 Nonhyeon-dong massacre, also align with current global terrorism trends, where social status plays a significant role both in motivating attacks and in drawing individuals into ideologies that are closely associated with social status and ties, such as the incel ideology. This has further been capitalized on by more overtly political movements, such as the far-right, which typically plays on insecurities surrounding social status as a means of recruitment and ideological conversion.
These transnational trends are rooted in a nebulous ideological framework, often perpetuated in online communities, seemingly without strong group affiliations. Glitterpill’s approach to monitoring and mapping such communities is rooted in behavior rather than ideology and thus equips us uniquely to address these evolving threats.
As the police have yet to reveal any further motivations for this attack, we must, however, not discount the current international security threats facing Korea and the potential role they may play in also increasing domestic security risks. These include fears surrounding North Korean missile testing in the Sea of Japan. These tests have been embraced both by Russia and Nicaragua. Considering the North Korean relationship with Russia and the current Russian war in Ukraine, increased Russian aggression may also have ripple effects in South Korea. In the past week, South Korean law enforcement has also been investigating suspicious packages arriving from China via Taiwan but has ruled out terrorism.
The investigation of the August 3rd attack is ongoing, and more information is likely to emerge as the investigation evolves.
Visit
https://www.glitterpill.io/intelligence-bulletins
to subscribe to Glitterpill Intel Bulletins for further updates, investigations, and reports on evolving threats.