Prosecutors Arrest and Indict Serial Arsonist of Cheonggyecheon Shops During Seollal... Charges Include Arson Causing Injury to Occupants

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] A man in his 50s accused of setting fire to multiple stores around Cheonggyecheon in Seoul on Lunar New Year’s Day has been brought to trial.

The Criminal Division 3 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Soo-min) announced on the 13th that they had arrested and indicted A (55), a serial arsonist who set fire to four stores around Cheonggyecheon in the early morning of January 22, on charges including arson causing injury to a dwelling. The prosecution also stated that they requested the Crime Victim Support Center to provide financial assistance to the victims of this case.

Cheonggecheon Serial Arsonist News Screen. / Image Source=Yonhap News TV

A is accused of deliberately setting fires at four locations between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. on January 22, Lunar New Year’s Day: a residential area near Sindang Station in Jung-gu, the front of commercial buildings in Hwanghak-dong, commercial buildings in Changsin-dong, Jongno-gu, and an alley in Sungin-dong.

At the time, A set the fires and then traveled by subway before being urgently arrested by police around 5 p.m. the same day in Banghwa-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul.

During police interrogation, A stated that he had attempted to operate a street stall near Cheonggyecheon but failed, and that he also intended to raise social awareness through his actions.

The Hyehwa Police Station in Seoul applied for an arrest warrant for A on charges including arson of a dwelling and general arson, and the court issued the warrant on the 24th of last month.

During the investigation while A was in custody, the police additionally confirmed that one resident of the building set on fire suffered second-degree burns while trying to extinguish the fire, and added the charge of arson causing injury to a dwelling upon transferring the case to the prosecution.

The prosecution also recognized A’s charge of arson causing injury to a dwelling and included it in the indictment.

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