Police suspect the attack was premeditated.
A South Korean YouTuber was fatally stabbed on Thursday morning while live streaming outside the Busan District Court. The victim, a man in his 50s, was reportedly attending a hearing when another YouTuber, also in his 50s, approached him from behind and stabbed him, according to The Korean Herald.
The attack, which was broadcast live to the victim’s nearly 4,000 subscribers, is believed to be the result of an online feud between the two YouTubers. Police suspect the attack was premeditated, as the suspect allegedly bought a weapon and rented a car the day before. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. The suspect fled the scene but was apprehended by police in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.
The authorities have yet to disclose the identities of the victim and the suspect. However, according to a news outlet, the perpetrator is identified by the surname Hong, while the victim is known by the surname Jo.
Following the incident, Hong took to the community section of his channel to express remorse, stating, “I apologise to my subscribers who have cared for me and supported me. But I couldn’t possibly forgive someone who tried to destroy other people’s happiness. I won’t make excuses. I will take responsibility for my actions.”
The Korean Herald further mentioned that the two had been at odds for several years, openly criticising each other through videos on their respective YouTube channels, both of which have thousands of subscribers. Hong claimed that the hostilities started when the victim publicly criticised his wife, but Jo attributed the feud to Hong’s supposed slander and financial extortion of him.
Things got worse between the YouTubers in February when Hong attacked the victim. This made them both have to go to court to deal with it legally.
The police think Hong, who has around 8,000 subscribers on YouTube, planned the stabbing because he bought a long kitchen knife the day before court. They also believe he watched the victim’s live stream to find out where he was.
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