• Source:JND
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A 67-year-old South Korean man has been charged with setting fire to a moving subway train in Seoul in a bizarre act of protest over his divorce decision, injuring dozens of commuters and causing huge property loss. The suspect, whose name was given only as Won, reportedly poured gas inside a subway car on Seoul Subway Line 5 and set his clothes on fire to initiate the blaze, as reported by Yonhap News Agency. The incident took place at about 8:42 am on May 31 as the train was moving through the undersea tunnel that spans the Han River between Yeouinaru Station and Mapo Station.

The incident left 22 passengers hospitalised for smoke inhalation, with another 129 treated for minor injuries and trauma at the scene. There were no fatalities, with one passenger injured in a reported sprained ankle when fleeing the flames.

CCTV Footage Shows Shocking Scene

Footage uncovered by the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office reveals the old man calmly pouring the flammable liquid on the cabin and igniting it. The dramatic CCTV footage has raised concerns over railway safety and passenger security in South Korea. The fire resulted in extensive damage to the subway car, with the estimated losses standing at about 330 million won (approx. 240,000 USD), as reported by The Chosun Daily. Subway operations along Line 5 were temporarily affected when emergency personnel arrived at the incident scene.

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Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office confirmed that Won has several charges, including attempted murder, burning a moving train, and Railway Safety Act violations. He was taken into custody on June 9 after being hospitalised due to injuries from the incident. Investigations uncovered that the attacker committed the arson attack out of intense frustration with the ruling on his divorce case.

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The government is now investigating security loopholes and response mechanisms to safeguard against a repeat of such attacks on South Korea's vast subway network. Following the attack, the authorities have committed to enhancing railway security checks and monitoring to protect passengers on the Seoul Metro.