At least 7 injured after student goes on stabbing rampage in Cheongju

First responders are seen at a high school in Cheongju, North Chungcheon Province, where a student stabbed and injured seven people, Monday. Yonhap

At least seven people were injured after a knife-wielding student went on a rampage in a high school classroom on Monday in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, according to police and local education authorities.

The attack, which occurred at 8:41 a.m., left the school's principal and two staff members with stab wounds to the chest, abdomen and back. They were transferred to hospitals for treatment, while four others sustained minor injuries.

None of the injuries is known to be life-threatening.

The student, who reportedly has borderline intellectual functioning, wielded a weapon against school staff members he encountered in the hallway after breaking away from a classroom where he had a counseling session.

The counselor reportedly suffered difficulty breathing due to shock from the incident and is being treated at a hospital.

After the attack, the student jumped into a reservoir at a nearby park. He was arrested after being taken to a hospital. Police will investigate the exact circumstances of the crime, including his motives.

Until last year, he had been in a special education class for disabled students. Then, he was moved to a general class this year after his condition improved.

Police said three other types of weapons were found in his bag in addition to the knife used in the crime.

Police are questioning school officials to find out more about what led to the attack.

Yoon Geon-young, superintendent of the North Chungcheong Provincial Office of Education, visited the site shortly after the incident and apologized for the incident.

"We will analyze and review the cause and circumstances of the incident to come up with measures to prevent recurrences," he said.

He confirmed that all other students were safe and all parents were informed of the situation.

The office plans to form a countermeasure response team to ensure student safety and provide support for victims' recovery, he said.