A man surnamed Won in his 60s, who set fire to a train on Seoul Subway Line 5, was handed over to prosecutors in custody.
A representative from the Korean National Police Agency stated on the morning of the 9th that Mr. Won was sent to be detained on charges of causing damage through arson. Mr. Won is accused of using gasoline to ignite clothing on a train running through the Han River underwater tunnel between Yeoinaru Station and Mapo Station on Line 5 at around 8:40 a.m. on the 31st of last month.
As a result of this fire, 22 passengers were injured due to smoke inhalation and were transported to the hospital. 129 people received treatment at the scene. Damage to property totaled 330 million won, as one subway train car was partially burned.
After being arrested, Mr. Won stated that he set the fire due to dissatisfaction with the outcome of his divorce proceedings. He said he purchased the gasoline used in the crime two weeks ago at a gas station.
The court issued a warrant for Mr. Won's arrest on the 2nd. While attending a pre-arrest examination at the Seoul Southern District Court, when asked, 'Didn’t you almost cause a major casualty incident? Don’t you have anything to say?' he replied, "I'm sorry."
The police are also conducting a psychopathy (antisocial personality disorder) examination on Mr. Won. A police official noted, "We thoroughly investigated the circumstances and motivations behind the arson suspect's crime," adding, "We will send additional (psychopathy) related materials to the prosecution after the handover."