Yeoksam serial arsonist transferred to prosecution

Suspect again repeats fraud victim claims

Tells reporters 'shut up' when asked about motive

A suspect surnamed Lee, who set fire to two buildings in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, injuring 19 people, responds to reporters' questions Thursday morning as Lee is transferred under detention from the Seoul Suseo Police Station to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office. [Yonhap]
A suspect surnamed Lee, who set fire to two buildings in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, injuring 19 people, responds to reporters' questions Thursday morning as Lee is transferred under detention from the Seoul Suseo Police Station to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office. [Yonhap]

A suspect in their 70s, identified only by the surname Lee, has been transferred to prosecutors after setting fire to two patent law firms in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, injuring 19 people.

The Seoul Suseo Police Station said Thursday it had transferred Lee to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office under detention on charges of arson causing bodily harm to an occupied structure and attempted murder. Police added the attempted murder charge after determining Lee had intended to harm a specific individual.

Lee left the Suseo station at around 7:35 a.m. Thursday and was transferred to the prosecutors office. Appearing before reporters, Lee again offered no apology to the victims and instead repeated claims of personal grievance.

Before boarding the transport vehicle, Lee said, "I told media outlets I had been defrauded, but they ignored me," adding, "I also told the Suseo Police Station I had been scammed, but they did not investigate. How can this happen?"

When reporters asked about the motive for the arson, Lee said, "Stop talking about that." Asked whether Lee felt sorry for the victims, Lee responded in English: "Shut up." Lee did not answer further questions, including one asking whether Lee still considered themselves a fraud victim.

During the police investigation, Lee stated that the patent law firms targeted in the attack had committed fraud against Lee. Lee is accused of setting fire to two patent law firms in the Sinmyeong Building and Hanyang Building in Yeoksam-dong around noon on Oct. 20, injuring 19 people. A patent attorney transported to hospital in cardiac arrest remains under treatment. Lee had previously been sentenced to two years and six months in prison in 2022 for assaulting an employee at the same patent law firm.

Meanwhile, police convened a personal information disclosure review committee for Lee on Wednesday and decided to make Lee's identity public. The committee determined that the severity of the harm caused and the brutal nature of the attack provided sufficient evidence to justify disclosure. Lee's personal information is set to be published on the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's website for 30 days beginning at around 9 a.m. Tuesday.


20ki@heraldcorp.com