Seoul Suseo Police Station/ Korea Times file

A man in his 40s was taken into custody by police for threatening a woman with a weapon in Seoul's southern district of Gangnam, Saturday morning, according to officials.

Police said they dispatched officers to the scene after receiving an emergency report that a man was holding a woman hostage in a store selling household items near Gangnam Subway Station at about 9:30 a.m., and the officers detained the suspect about 25 minutes later.

The victim is known to have been safely rescued.

Police said they were investigating the motive of the crime and plans to ask for an arrest warrant on charges of attempted murder. (Yonhap)