SEOUL - FEARFUL South Korean women are flocking to buy pepper spray and personal safety alarms following the arrest of an alleged serial killer, a report said on Thursday.
The country's three main online shopping malls reported that sales of personal safety products jumped by 40 to 100 per cent since the arrest of Kang Ho-Sun on January 25, the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper said.
Police say Kang, 38, has confessed to killing seven women since late 2006 after meeting them in karaoke bars or picking them up from isolated bus stops.
Investigators have described him as a typical psychopath who feels no remorse.
Most popular products include small hand-held pepper sprays and personal alarms to scare off such attackers, the daily said.
It said some women now avoid wearing stockings, boots or skirts after Kang was found to be obsessed with such attire.
'After hearing the serial killer targeted women wearing stockings and boots, I only wear trousers,' Kim Ji-Young, a 20-year-old student, told JoongAng.
'I also ditched high-heels and wear sneakers so that I can run fast at times of danger.'
The paper said some women are also taking extra precautions.
When female employees use late-night taxis, colleagues take pictures of the number plate or keep in contact by cellphone until they get home safely. -- AFP
