Sillim commercial district crippled after stabbing attack

The commercial district of Sillim-dong in Seoul's Gwanak district continues to reel from the July 21 random stabbing attack there, with some merchants reporting a revenue drop of more than 50 percent.

According to local news reports, small businesses in the area have seen sales halve since the attack, and that the drop increased after a similar incident occurred at Seohyeon Station in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province last Thursday.

The district seemed to revive after being hit directly by the stabbing incident, but it failed to avoid another blow as the Seohyeon Station stabbing broke out and online murder threats continued.

The police deployed patrol cars and riot police around Sillim Station, and conducted a joint patrol campaign on Monday, participated by related organizations including Gwanak Police Station, the Gwanak district office and district assemblies. They circled the alley around Sillim Station with signs saying: “We will restore a peaceful daily life with local residents.”

“We have deployed a task force and special policing at Sillim Station, but there is still some alarm in the area,” said head of Gwanak District Office Park Jun-hee. “We would like to prove the area’s safety through joint patrol,” he added. According to Park, some festivals and flea markets are being planned with an aim to revitalize the commercial district.