Court issues arrest warrant for suspect in patent firm arson attacks

The Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant Thursday for a man in his 70s suspected of setting fires at two patent firms in Seoul’s Gangnam district Tuesday, injuring 19 people. The court cited flight risk and approved the warrant on charges of arson resulting in injuries. Police suspect he acted out of a grudge over what he claimed were fake patent registration certificates. Investigators are reviewing his psychiatric records and considering an attempted-murder charge.

One injured person was rushed to a hospital in cardiac arrest.

The suspect told investigators he bought two jerrycans, a lighter and flammable materials near his home in western Seoul on Friday, according to police.

Police are considering an attempted-murder charge based on testimony that the suspect had been looking for a specific person before setting the fires.

The suspect was previously sentenced to two and a half years in prison for attempting to set fires at the same patent firms four years ago.

Published Oct 22, 2026 9:27 pm KST

A man suspected of committing arson at two buildings in southern Seoul attends a hearing at the Seoul Central District Court, Thursday. Yonhap

A Seoul court on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for a man in his 70s suspected of setting fires at two buildings in southern Seoul earlier this week, leaving 19 people injured.

The Seoul Central District Court issued the warrant on charges of arson resulting in injuries, saying the man is a flight risk.

The suspect was taken into custody hours after setting fires at two patent firms in separate buildings in Seoul's Gangnam district Tuesday. The fires left 19 people injured, including one who was rushed to a hospital in cardiac arrest.

Police suspect the man held a grudge against the firms as he claimed they had defrauded him by issuing fake patent registration certificates.

The suspect told investigators that he had bought two jerrycans, a lighter and flammable materials near his home in western Seoul on Friday, according to the police.

Police are examining the suspect's psychiatric records and considering additional charges of attempted murder based on testimony that he had been looking for a specific person before setting the fires.

首尔中央地方法院周四对一名70多岁的男子发出逮捕令，该男子涉嫌于周二在首尔江南区两家专利事务所纵火，造成19人受伤。法院以该男子有潜逃风险为由，批准了以纵火致人受伤罪名对其发出的逮捕令。警方怀疑该男子因声称其专利注册证书系伪造而怀恨在心，遂实施了纵火行为。调查人员正在审查该男子的精神病史，并考虑以谋杀未遂罪名对其提起诉讼。

一名伤者因心脏骤停被紧急送往医院。

据警方称，嫌疑人告诉调查人员，他于周五在首尔西部家附近购买了两个油桶、一个打火机和易燃材料。

警方正在考虑以谋杀未遂罪名起诉嫌疑人，因为有证词表明，嫌疑人在纵火前一直在寻找特定的人。

该嫌疑人曾因四年前试图在同一家专利公司纵火而被判处两年半监禁。

发布于2026年10月22日晚上9:27（韩国标准时间）

周四，一名涉嫌在首尔南部两栋建筑物纵火的男子在首尔中央地方法院出庭受审。（韩联社）

首尔一家法院周四对一名70多岁的男子发出逮捕令，该男子涉嫌于本周早些时候在首尔南部两栋建筑物纵火，造成19人受伤。

首尔中央地方法院以纵火致人受伤为由，签发了逮捕令，称该男子有潜逃风险。

周二，嫌疑人在首尔江南区两栋不同建筑内的两家专利公司纵火，数小时后被警方逮捕。火灾造成19人受伤，其中一人因心脏骤停被紧急送往医院。

警方怀疑该男子对这些公司怀恨在心，因为他声称这些公司通过颁发伪造的专利注册证书欺骗了他。

据警方称，嫌疑人告诉调查人员，他于周五在首尔西部家附近购买了两个油桶、一个打火机和易燃材料。

警方正在审查嫌疑人的精神病记录，并根据证词考虑追加谋杀未遂的指控，证词显示，嫌疑人在纵火前一直在寻找特定的人。