Franchise dispute leads to fatal stabbing incident in Seoul pizza shop

A deadly stabbing incident occurred in Gwanak District, Seoul, stemming from a business-related conflict between a pizza franchise owner and representatives from the headquarters. The dispute reportedly centered around interior renovation issues.

According to the Gwanak Police Station, the attack took place at approximately 10:57 a.m. in a pizza shop located in Jowon-dong. Authorities received a report stating that four individuals had been stabbed. Three victims, including two men and one woman, were transported to a hospital but later died from their injuries.

The suspect, identified as Mr. B, is the owner of the pizza shop. He allegedly carried out the attack before business hours following a disagreement over the store’s interior design. The victims included a franchise executive, an interior contractor, and the contractor’s daughter who was assisting at the site.

Mr. A, the CEO of the franchise headquarters, expressed deep sorrow and denied allegations of coercive renovation demands. In a phone interview with News1, he stated that the company had never forced franchisees to remodel their stores. He emphasized that most franchisees operate with limited capital and that the brand itself is too small to impose such requirements.

He explained that the shop had been open for nearly two years and that the franchisee had difficulty finding affordable renovation services. The headquarters had helped connect him with a budget-friendly contractor. However, a dispute arose recently over cracked tiles, which escalated tensions between the franchisee and the contractor. Mr. A said that one of the company’s executives had visited the site to mediate the conflict.

Mr. A also noted that the franchisee had previously been considered a model partner with stable sales and a good relationship with the headquarters. He firmly denied any form of renovation-related abuse.

Police are currently awaiting Mr. B’s recovery before formally detaining him. Investigators plan to conduct a full inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the attack and are considering filing for an arrest warrant. Authorities also intend to interview the families of the victims, including the deceased franchise executive, later in the day.