Yeoksam Serial Arsonist Transferred to Prosecutors in Custody... Claims "Patent Fraud" Despite Attempted Murder Charge

Police Add Attempted Murder Charge Against A
"You Didn't Investigate the Patent Fraud... What Kind of Country Is This?"
Suspect's Personal Information to Be Released Starting November 3

A man in his 70s who set fire to two buildings in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, one after the other, has been sent to prosecutors under arrest. Police said they would add a charge of attempted murder.

Suspect A, who set fire to two buildings in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, injuring 19 people, answers reporters' questions as he is transferred under arrest from Suseo Police Station to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on the 29th. Yonhap News Agency.

Suseo Police Station said on October 29 that it had transferred the man, identified only as A, to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office under arrest on suspicion of arson causing injury at occupied buildings and attempted murder. Police initially charged A only with arson causing injury at an occupied building, but added the attempted murder charge after further investigation.

As he left the police station that day, A told reporters, "I called five media outlets and told them [the patent law firm] was committing fraud, but they pretended not to know," adding, "I also told the police about the patent fraud, but they didn't investigate. What kind of country is this?"

A did not answer questions such as, "Don't you feel sorry for the victims?" and "Do you still think you are a fraud victim?" Asked why he had not stated his position on the decision to disclose his personal information, he responded, "They should be broadcasting the fraud. Why aren't they doing that?"

According to police, A is suspected of setting fire to the third floor of Sinmyeong Building at around 11:54 a.m. on October 20, then setting fire to the fourth floor of Hanyang Building seven minutes later, at around 12:01 p.m., injuring a total of 19 people. He was arrested shortly after the incident and taken into custody two days later.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency decided the previous day, October 28, at a meeting of its committee on the disclosure of personal information to release A's personal information. Police plan to post the suspect's information on the agency's website for 30 days starting at 9 a.m. on November 3.

Police decided to impose the statutory waiting period because A did not submit a written statement saying he had "no objection" to the disclosure decision. The Act on the Disclosure of Personal Information of Suspects in Specific Serious Crimes requires a waiting period of at least five days from the date the suspect is notified of the disclosure. The waiting period may be waived if the suspect states in writing that they have "no objection."

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