[Seocho-dong Legal Talk] Real Doll Shop Catches Fire at Night... Arsonist Caught

A man is looking at a real doll. The photo is unrelated to the article content. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] In the early morning of January 15 last year, a fire broke out on the third floor of a building in Gwanak-gu, Seoul. The fire started in a so-called 'Real Doll Shop,' which provided a space for sexual activities with adult product mannequins.

Fortunately, the fire was extinguished without spreading to other floors. However, the Real Doll Shop suffered damages worth approximately 28 million won as the interior and goods were burned.

Investigators suspected arson and began tracking the culprit. Later, the shop owner, Mr. A (62, male), was arrested as the arsonist.

Mr. A had about 100 million won in financial debt, and his business had worsened due to the spread of COVID-19. Investigators concluded that Mr. A, facing economic difficulties, deliberately set the fire intending to claim insurance money, recalling that he had subscribed to fire damage insurance.

In fact, two months after the fire, Mr. A submitted a fake insurance claim form to the insurance company staff, stating that he suffered losses due to a fire of unknown cause. The insurance policy he subscribed to covered actual expenses for fixtures, facilities, and movable property from 2020 to 2025, with a total insured amount of 140 million won and a premium of 200,000 won per installment. Upon learning that the fire was caused by arson, the insurance company did not pay Mr. A any insurance money.

Considering that an employee was working night shifts at the convenience store on the first floor of the building at the time of the fire, the prosecution charged Mr. A with 'arson of an existing building' and 'violation of the Special Act on the Prevention of Insurance Fraud,' among other charges, and brought him to trial.

According to the court on the 26th, the Criminal Division 24 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Jo Yongrae) recently sentenced Mr. A to two years in prison. The court stated, "Arson crimes pose significant social risks as they can escalate into larger fires causing irreparable damage to the lives, bodies, or property of innocent people, and insurance fraud undermines the foundation of the insurance system, causing great social harm," adding "Considering the motive, circumstances, and extent of damage, the case is serious and the nature of the crime is very bad."

The court also noted, "However, the defendant has admitted to all charges and shown remorse in this courtroom," adding, "The fire was extinguished relatively quickly, preventing additional damage, and the burned parts were restored and returned to the building owner. The building owner has requested leniency. Since the insurance fraud was an 'attempt,' the defendant did not gain any benefits."

Furthermore, the court considered as favorable factors that "it does not appear that the defendant subscribed to the insurance with a plan to commit insurance fraud, and there is no prior record of similar crimes."

Mr. A has appealed the first trial verdict.

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