Prosecutors indict contractor employee who stabbed 2 at LG Electronics campus

A contractor employee who attacked two workers with a knife at LG Electronics' research complex in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, has been indicted.

The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office said Tuesday that its second criminal division had indicted the suspect — a man in his 60s surnamed Jeong who worked for an LG Electronics contractor — on charges of attempted murder. He remains in custody.

Jeong is accused of attempting to kill two LG Electronics employees — a team leader and a team member — at the company's Science Park office in Magok-dong, Gangseo-gu, on May 27, repeatedly slashing at them with a folding hiking knife with a blade of about 10 centimeters.

Prosecutors said Jeong stabbed the victims from behind multiple times in the neck and sides while they were working, inflicting serious injuries that posed a risk of death.

Jeong had initially told police and media that he carried out the attack in anger after being spoken to disrespectfully, looked down upon, and recently notified of his dismissal. Prosecutors, however, found no evidence that any such dismissal notice had been given.

Prosecutors determined that LG Electronics had requested a change of the person assigned to handle Jeong, and that Jeong had mistaken that request for a notice of termination before carrying out the attack.

"We will maintain a thorough prosecution to ensure the defendant receives a severe punishment befitting the nature of the crime, and will do our utmost to help the victims recover through victim support services," prosecutors said.