Seollal Cheonggyecheon Serial Arsonist Arrested: "Intended to Raise Social Awareness"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] A man in his 50s suspected of committing a series of arson attacks around Cheonggyecheon in Seoul during Lunar New Year has been arrested.

On the 25th, Seoul Hyehwa Police Station announced that a detention warrant for Mr. A, a man in his 50s, was issued the previous day on charges of arson of occupied buildings and general buildings.

It is known that Mr. A testified that he attempted to sell masks at street stalls around Cheonggyecheon but set fires after local merchants obstructed him. He also revealed that his motive was to raise awareness about the difficulties faced by ordinary people in society. Mr. A is currently unemployed.

Mr. A is accused of deliberately setting fires between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. on the 22nd near residential areas around Sindang Station in Jung-gu, in front of commercial buildings in Hwanghak-dong, commercial buildings in Changsin-dong, Jongno-gu, and alleys in Sungin-dong. Initially, three fire reports were received by the fire department, but during the investigation, an additional fire that was extinguished on its own was discovered. Due to Mr. A's arson, shops inside commercial buildings and boxes piled nearby were burned. There were no casualties.

After committing the arson, Mr. A took the subway and was apprehended by police around 5 p.m. the same day in Banghwa-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul. The police applied for a detention warrant to the court, which was issued the previous day.

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