Hospital Director Detained for Arson Threat with Gasoline and Female Employee Faces Pretrial Detention Hearing

Yu, a hospital director in his 60s, who threatened staff at the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) with gasoline while demanding insurance payouts, underwent a pretrial detention hearing on November 8.

Yu appeared at the detention hearing held at the Seoul Eastern District Court at 3:00 p.m. that day.

Yonhap News Agency

Before entering the courtroom, Yu told reporters, "I went there to set myself on fire, but I was accused of being an arsonist," and claimed, "I feel very wronged."

Yu is accused of threatening to set a fire by showing gasoline and a lighter at the Seoul headquarters of HIRA in Garak-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, at around 1:00 p.m. on November 6, together with a female employee in her 40s, identified as Ms. B, who works at his hospital (charge: attempted arson of an inhabited building).

According to the police investigation, the two committed the act out of dissatisfaction after HIRA rejected their insurance claim.

The police have requested an arrest warrant for Yu, who is believed to have led the incident, while Ms. B has been released and is being investigated without detention.