A man in his 50s who attempted to set fire to the Supreme Public Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, out of dissatisfaction with the prosecution's investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol's alleged leadership in a rebellion has been sentenced to prison in the first trial.
According to the legal community on the 28th, the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 5 (Director General Ryu Ji-mi) acknowledged the guilt of the man in his 50s, identified as Lee, on the charge of preparation for arson of a public building on the 15th and sentenced him to 1 year and 6 months in prison, with 3 years of probation, and ordered him to undergo probation.
Lee is accused of attempting to set fire to the Supreme Public Prosecutors' Office using a solvent and a lighter. On January 23rd at around 10:36 p.m., he hidden a container with 17 liters of solvent near a bus stop in front of the Supreme Court. He then went to the security post in front of the main gate of the Supreme Public Prosecutors' Office and repeatedly said, "I will smash the Supreme Public Prosecutors' Office and set it on fire," before going to the front of the Supreme Court with the hidden container of solvent at around 11:21 p.m. and telling an employee, "I have come to blow up the Supreme Public Prosecutors' Office."
Subsequently, Lee was arrested as a flagrant offender by police officers from Seocho Police Station who responded to a report to 112. It was reported that Lee was inebriated at the time of his arrest. During police questioning, he stated, "I went there out of dissatisfaction with the prosecution's investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol," and added, "I don't think the prosecution will conduct the investigation properly."
The court stated, "The defendant's action poses a significant risk of serious harm to human life, body, and property, showing a high degree of culpability," but noted, "However, the defendant has no previous convictions for similar offenses, and it appears that the crime was committed impulsively," explaining the reasons for the sentencing.