An employee shows a spray at a shop for self-defense gadgets in Bucheon, west of Seoul, on Aug. 4, 2023, amid mounting public interest in such goods following recent random assaults. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Korea Bizwire) – The demand for self-defense items in South Korea is on the rise following recent consecutive deadly stabbing rampages.
Interpark Shopping, a mobile shopping platform, witnessed a 123 percent increase in purchases of self-defense items compared to the previous year, between July 22 and August 3.
This surge in purchases immediately followed a stabbing attack at Seoul’s Sillim Station.
In comparison to the preceding month (June 22 to July 3), purchases surged by an astonishing 399 percent.
On the previous Friday, just a day after another fatal stabbing rampage at Seohyeon Station in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, orders for self-defense items during the daytime reached the total sales of the previous 12 days combined.
Within the same timeframe, another online shopping mall, 11Street, also experienced a 202 percent jump in purchases of self-defense items compared to the previous year, or a 224 percent increase from the previous week.
Pepper sprays emerged as the top-selling products, followed by alarms, self-defense batons, and whistles.
Orders from male customers also exhibited an increase.
According to data from 11Street, the number of male customers surged by 263 percent between July 22 and August 3, whereas the number of female customers rose by 168 percent.
When sorted by age, male customers in their 40s (29 percent) constituted the largest portion, followed by those in their 50s (23 percent), and 30s (13 percent).
About 30 percent of customers who purchased pepper spray, the best-selling self-defense item on Interpark Shopping, were assumed to be male.
11Street explained that many customers likely bought self-defense items not only for themselves but also for their family members or significant others.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
