Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Korean man attacked in Canada; motive still under investigation
People in face masks walk past an Apple store in Brossard, on the south shore of Montreal, Canada, March 15. The people in the photo are unrelated to the story. EPA
By Jung Min-ho
By Jung Min-ho
The Korean Consulate General in Montreal has warned citizens in Canada after a Korean man was attacked for no reason in the city.
The victim, 44, was stabbed in the upper body by a stranger while walking on Decarie Blvd. Sunday (local time), according to the Korean Consulate General Tuesday.
The man was taken to a nearby hospital. His injuries are not life-threatening.
“The motive for the attack is still under investigation,” the Korean Consulate General said. “We urge all members of the Korean community to be cautious and report any incidents to us.”
The warning comes as many East Asians around the world have reported incidents of racism and discrimination since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
A Korean woman who knows the victim told The Korea Times that she thinks the attack was racially motivated following a series of attacks aimed at Asians in recent weeks.
According to the New York Post, an Asian woman was assaulted in Manhattan Monday by a stranger who blamed her for the spread of COVID-19. The attacker was arrested on charges of hate crime assault, among others.
The incident happened only days after a man was arrested in another COVID-19-related hate crime in the city.