A court on Monday held an arrest warrant hearing for a 60-something man accused of committing arson inside a subway train in western Seoul over the weekend.
The hearing for the suspect, identified only by his surname, Won, was held at the Seoul Southern District Court in the morning.
Won allegedly poured gasoline and set fire to pieces of clothes inside a subway Line 5 train running between Yeouinaru and Mapo stations early Saturday morning. The suspect was apprehended on the scene.
He reportedly committed the arson after being dissatisfied with the outcome of his divorce lawsuit.
Won was asked by reporters at the courthouse whether he committed the crime to protest the result of his divorce suit and said, "Yes." A man claiming to be Won's elder brother also appeared at the courthouse, saying the suspect was a taxi driver and unhappy with the amount of alimony.
Twenty-three people, including Won, were transported to hospitals due to smoke inhalation, and 129 others received treatment on the spot Saturday. Police estimated the relevant property damage at 330 million won ($240,000). (Yonhap)
