"In a Fit of Rage"... Why Did They Become Arsonists?

Special firefighting units are extinguishing wildfires that occurred in the Gangneung and Donghae areas of Gangwon Province.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] The large-scale wildfires that occurred in the Gangneung and Donghae areas of Gangwon Province started from arson committed by a man in his 60s out of anger. The fire, which was set because residents ignored him, completely destroyed the homes of many people.

According to the forestry authorities on the 8th, the estimated forest damage caused by the wildfire that broke out around 1 a.m. on the 5th reached 4,000 hectares. Forests covering 1,900 hectares in Gangneung and 2,100 hectares in Donghae turned to ashes. This is more than 13 times the area of Yeouido (290 hectares) and about 5,602 times the size of a soccer field (0.714 hectares).

Property damage also occurred. In Donghae, 130 houses and other buildings were completely burned down, and 53 houses were partially damaged. In Gangneung, 10 houses were completely destroyed and 4 houses were partially burned.

As a result, more than 110 disaster victims emerged in both Donghae and Gangneung. The victims, who lost their homes in an instant, showed a dazed appearance, worrying about their bleak future lives.

The wildfire started when a man in his 60s, Mr. A, living in Ok-gye, Gangneung, set fire using a torch. Mr. A, who committed arson because he felt ignored by residents, was arrested on the 6th on charges of arson of an occupied building, arson of a general building, and violation of the Forest Protection Act.

Arson crimes, characterized as so-called "random crimes" that cause damage to an unspecified number of people, occur steadily every year. According to the 2021 Fire Agency Statistical Yearbook, there were 758 cases of arson and suspected arson fires in 2020. Although the number has been decreasing from 2,250 cases in 2011, 1,706 in 2012, 917 in 2018, and 805 in 2019, arson incidents still occur continuously.

Statistically, arsonists were mainly middle-aged and older men like Mr. A. According to the 2021 Crime Analysis Statistics published by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, 83.9% of arsonists arrested in 2020 were male offenders. By age group, those aged 51?60 accounted for the largest share at 29.7%, followed by 41?50 (21.8%), 61 and older (15.9%), and 31?40 (12.4%).

Regarding the mental state of arsonists at the time of the crime, 44.3% were in a normal state. The intoxicated state accounted for 41.7%. Among them, 14.0% had mental disorders.

About half of the arsonists committed the crime out of anger. The motive for the crime was "impulsive" in 44.6% of cases, followed by "others" (20.8%), "unknown" (15.6%), "dissatisfaction with reality" (7.0%), "family discord" (5.3%), "curiosity" (2.8%), and "negligence" (1.9%).

In fact, Mr. Kim, the so-called "Bongdae Mountain Fire Squirrel," who caused a series of wildfires in Ulsan and other areas in 2011, stated during police investigation that "setting fires makes me feel relieved and comfortable." Mr. Kim was caught by the police on charges of arson 96 times from 1994 to 2011.

Mr. Chae, the notorious arsonist who set fire to Sungnyemun Gate on February 10, 2008, committed the crime to express dissatisfaction with reality. According to the prosecution's investigation at the time, Mr. Chae filed a lawsuit because he did not receive adequate compensation from a construction company during the process of his land in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, being incorporated into a road. When an unfavorable ruling was made against him, he became dissatisfied and committed arson.

Although arson is often committed impulsively, voices are calling for greater vigilance because it poses a very high risk of causing casualties.

In particular, there are criticisms that the punishment for arson cases is weak. Even if arsonists are caught, most receive light sentences if the act was unintentional, a first offense, or if the offender is elderly.

During the Gangneung Ok-gye wildfire in March 2017, which burned 244 hectares of forest to ashes, the police arrested two herb gatherers. The police proved that the wildfire was caused by them discarding cigarette butts. However, the court sentenced them to six months in prison and one year in prison with a two-year probation, respectively.

Mr. Chae, who set fire to Sungnyemun Gate, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and was released after serving his term, and Mr. Kim, the "Bongdae Mountain Fire Squirrel," was also sentenced to 10 years in prison for violating the Forest Protection Act.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.