A man in his 50s set fire during a visit to a friend after a quarrel... Suspended prison sentence in first trial

A man in his 50s who, after a quarrel with a friend he was living with, became enraged and set fire to the friend's door was sentenced to prison in the first trial.

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According to the legal community on the 22nd, the 12th Criminal Division of the Seoul Western District Court (Chief Judge Kwon Seong-su) sentenced Mr. A, in his 50s, who is accused of arson of a residence and a public building, to 1 year and 6 months in prison with a 2-year probation on the 13th.

The court stated, "The crime is serious as the fire was set in a residential building where people were sleeping," but added, "The defendant has shown remorse, and immediately after the arson, he urged the friends who were sleeping in other rooms to evacuate. The fire was extinguished early, resulting in only partial damage to the door and no other harm." The court further noted, "There is no prior record of similar offenses, and the victims and other friends have petitioned for leniency."

Mr. A is accused of, on April 22 of last year at around 1:10 a.m., after a quarrel over a debt relationship with the victim in a building in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, where he was living with friends, becoming enraged and pouring gasoline on the victim's bedroom door, then lighting a piece of paper with a lighter and throwing it at the door.

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