Man in His 60s Attempts Self-Immolation in Front of Presidential Office in Yongsan... Police Intervene

Attempted Self-Immolation After Dispute Over Missing Banner
Voluntarily Taken In for Questioning on Misdemeanor Charges

A man in his 60s who attempted self-immolation in front of the presidential office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, was apprehended by police.

The Yongsan Police Station in Seoul announced that at approximately 11:10 a.m. on June 30, a man identified as A was voluntarily taken in for questioning on charges of violating the Misdemeanor Punishment Act (concealment of dangerous objects) after attempting self-immolation on the sidewalk in front of the War Memorial of Korea, near the presidential office.

A poured gasoline on himself and tried to ignite it with a lighter, but riot police subdued him before he could start a fire.

It was determined that he attempted self-immolation after a dispute over the disappearance of a banner he had put up. A is known to have staged solo protests near the presidential office, demanding the installation of closed-circuit (CC) TV cameras in hospital operating rooms and neonatal units. Police later confirmed that the banner was found near the scene and returned it to A.

A police official stated, "There was some friction during the process of putting up the banner, but there was no danger at the scene." A reportedly told police that he did not intend to set himself on fire.