"Feed and Put to Sleep" Myeongdong Cathedral Arson Attempt by 20s... Cathedral Seeks "Leniency" [Seocho-dong Legal Story]

"Please provide accommodation and meals." On the evening of June 23, A (25, male) suddenly said this upon visiting Myeongdong Cathedral in Jung-gu, Seoul. When the cathedral staff refused his request, A entered the main cathedral and began praying. At that moment, anger welled up inside him. Feeling that "the situation is difficult and the world is resentful," he eventually decided to set fire to the cathedral.

A went down to the cathedral's basement. He tore six pages from a notebook he had and set them on fire with a lighter, then pushed the burning paper under the wooden door of the underground chapel. The underground chapel of Myeongdong Cathedral, built in 1898 and designated as a cultural heritage site (Historic Site No. 258) in 1977, is where the remains of martyrs from the Gihae and Byeongin Persecutions are enshrined. Fortunately, on the day of the incident, a priest who had just finished mass and was passing by the underground chapel noticed the burning paper. Thanks to the priest stamping it out with his foot, the fire only burned part of the underground chapel door and floor, preventing it from spreading to the entire Myeongdong Cathedral.

The prosecution stated, "A attempted to burn down Myeongdong Cathedral, a nationally designated cultural property frequently accessed by priests conducting mass, administrators, numerous parishioners, and tourists, but the attempt failed." A was charged with attempted arson of an existing structure. According to the Criminal Act, anyone who sets fire to a building used as a residence or occupied by people, or to trains, trams, automobiles, ships, or aircraft, can be sentenced to life imprisonment or imprisonment for three years or more. In the case of an attempt, the sentence may be reduced at the court's discretion. A, who was detained for two months due to this incident, admitted all charges in court. The Myeongdong Cathedral side expressed to the court that they do not wish for A to be punished and hope for leniency.

According to the legal community on the 3rd, the Criminal Division 33 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Dong-hyun) sentenced A to two years in prison with a three-year probation period and also issued a probation order. The court stated, "Myeongdong Cathedral, which the defendant tried to damage by setting fire, is a major worship space enshrining the remains of saints and martyrs, where many people come and go to pray and worship. Considering the danger of the defendant's arson attempt in such a place, the crime is very serious." However, the court also noted, "The crime was somewhat impulsive, and fortunately, it was only an attempt. The victim, Myeongdong Cathedral, and the defendant's family are requesting leniency." The court also took into account favorable circumstances such as A's mother and relatives pledging to guide him, and the fact that A was detained for about two months. Since neither A nor the prosecution appealed, the first trial verdict was finalized as is.