By Jane Han
Staff Reporter

Hannah Kwak never liked the long, dimly-lit road from the subway station to her apartment in western Seoul, but after the latest serial murder case, the walk feels even creepier and longer.

``I can't wait till summer when the sun is out longer,'' says the 27-year-old office worker, ``but until then, I try to meet with my sister or brother to commute home together.''

But for those who don't have someone to rely on like Kwak, heading home earlier is apparently the next best option.

A survey conducted by online recruiter Career showed Tuesday that 61 percent of the 580 working women surveyed said that they've started to rush home after learning of Kang Ho-soon's psychopathic serial killings.

The 38-year-old, self-confessed killer said he murdered seven women and buried their bodies between Dec. 13, 2006, and Dec. 19, 2008, in southwestern Gyeonggi Province.

``I feel a lot more threatened as a woman because past serial murderers have often targeted female victims,'' said Kim Hyo-rim, a 34-year-old office worker in Seoul.

Kim drives to and from work, but says she still tries to be extra cautious of her surroundings.

The poll showed that more than 70 percent said they've become nervous because of the latest brutal crime. Among the respondents, women in their 20s showed the most anxiety (76 percent), followed by those in their 30s (68 percent) and 40s (54 percent).

Life patterns have also changed, according to Career. Three out of 10 women said they try to head home before public transportation stops running, talk to someone on the phone while walking, or return home immediately after work.

Respondents who opted to be at home early hurried away an average of 84 minutes before their normal time to do so.

To be better prepared for a dangerous face-off, more than 10 percent said they have purchased self-defense weapons, such as whistles and pepper spray.

According to online retailer Auction, more than 370 self-defense weapons have been sold daily since Jan. 25, when Kang was arrested. The figure is up 60 percent compared to a week earlier and 45 percent higher since a year ago.

jhan@koreatimes.co.kr