A man in his 70s has been indicted and detained on charges of attempting to kill a man in his 40s with a sickle at the Ilmin Museum of Art in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office said Tuesday that its Criminal Division 4, headed by Lee Sang-hoon, indicted the suspect, identified only as A, on Monday on charges of attempted murder, preparation for arson of an occupied building and intimidation.
According to prosecutors, A, a sanitation worker, entered the Ilmin Museum of Art in Jongno-gu at around 7:47 a.m. on June 26 carrying a container of gasoline, then swung a sickle at B, a man in his 40s who worked on the museum's facilities management team and with whom A had a longstanding dispute.
B sustained injuries but his life was not in danger. A fled the scene immediately after the attack but was apprehended by police. Police sought an arrest warrant on June 27 on charges including attempted murder, and the court issued it. Police transferred A to prosecutors on July 2 on charges of attempted murder and preparation for arson of an occupied building.
After receiving the case, prosecutors conducted a supplementary investigation — securing personnel records and taking statements from those involved — and determined that A had harbored grievances against B and the museum over disciplinary actions and personnel decisions.
Prosecutors also found that A had threatened B two days before the attack and, immediately after fleeing the scene, made remarks to a colleague implying further violence. On that basis, they added a charge of intimidation and said they had established clear intent to kill and a purpose to commit arson.
Under the recently amended Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Specific Violent Crimes, prosecutors arranged for B to receive a court-appointed attorney and requested victim support services, including financial assistance for medical expenses. The amendment expanded eligibility for court-appointed counsel from victims of certain crimes such as sexual violence and child abuse to victims of violent crimes broadly.
"We will continue to conduct thorough supplementary investigations to fully establish the charges and do our utmost to protect the victim," a Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office official said.
bell@heraldcorp.com
