Police say a man in his 70s suspected of setting fires at two adjacent buildings in Seoul’s southern Gangnam district has largely admitted to planning and carrying out the arson. The fires are reported to have occurred on Tuesday at separate floors of two nearby buildings, prompting large-scale evacuation and sending multiple people to hospital, including at least one person who was in cardiac arrest.
According to police accounts, the suspect was apprehended a few hours after the incidents following a police search that involved tracking him through public transport. Authorities said he told investigators he bought jerrycans, a lighter, and flammable material and later returned it to explain his actions. He reportedly said he believed two patent firms had defrauded him by issuing fake patent registration certificates, and that he wanted to scare them and draw attention.
Outlets largely agree on the timeline of the two fires, the number of injuries, and the suspect’s detention. Differences are mainly in how fully each report details the motive and the subsequent interrogation steps, with police indicating they plan to pursue an arrest warrant after further questioning.
