Woo Bum-kon incident

Overview

The Woo Bum-kon incident was a spree killing carried out overnight from April 26 to April 27, 1982, in Uiryeong County, South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Policeman Woo Bum-kon murdered 56 people and wounded approximately 35 others across four villages using two stolen M2 carbines, ammunition, and hand grenades taken from a reservists' armory. Woo died by suicide bombing, detonating grenades strapped to his chest while holding hostages, killing himself and three of them before police could respond.

Background and Attack

Woo, born November 5, 1955, in Busan, had served in the Marines and joined the National Police in Busan in December 1980. After a stint guarding the Blue House, he was informally demoted over complaints about drinking and temper and reassigned to Gungnyu myeon in Uiryeong County. There he lived with a local woman, Chun Mal-soon, whose family opposed their relationship. On the afternoon of April 26, 1982, an argument with Chun preceded his reporting for duty; that evening he returned home, assaulted Chun, and then took weapons from the local armory, reportedly gaining access after other officers left their posts to visit a hot spring.

Beginning around 9:30 p.m., Woo moved through the villages of Togok, Apgok, Ungye, and Pyeongchon, shooting residents, taking a hostage he later killed, attacking a shopkeeper's family, and opening fire on mourners at a funeral wake. Police were alerted within minutes but took roughly an hour to assemble a search team, and Seoul's national police headquarters was not informed until 1:40 a.m. Around 3:40 a.m., Woo, having taken refuge and hostages in a farmhouse, detonated two grenades, killing himself and three hostages; the homeowner survived with serious injuries.

Victims and Investigation

Death tolls varied across sources, with some South Korean reporting suggesting the toll rose as high as 73 after additional victims died of their injuries, though official figures cite 56 dead and around 35 wounded. Victims ranged in age from a one-week-old infant to a woman in her seventies. Initial local police attributed the rampage to Woo's intoxicated anger following his argument with Chun, but a later review by the Incident Cause Investigation Unit concluded the motive was dissatisfaction over his demotion.

Aftermath

The government under President Chun Doo-hwan restricted early reporting on the incident. In its aftermath, Interior Minister Suh Chung-hwa and the national police chief offered to resign, with Suh's resignation accepted and Roh Tae-woo appointed as his successor. A parliamentary team was formed to investigate the police response, and four officers who had left their posts were arrested for negligence. In 2024, following years of petitioning led by a victim's father, the "Uiryeong 4.26 Memorial Park" was opened on the 42nd anniversary of the attack.