A man in his 60s who set a fire on Seoul Subway Line 5 admitted to all charges during his first trial but claimed diminished mental capacity and conditional intent.
On August 19, the Criminal Agreement Division 15 of the Seoul Southern District Court (Presiding Judge Yang Hwansung) held the first hearing for Mr. Won (67), who was indicted on charges of attempted murder, arson resulting in death on an occupied train, and violation of the Railroad Safety Act.
Mr. Won's defense stated, "This was an attempted murder based on conditional intent rather than definite intent," and explained, "He set the fire under the mistaken delusion that it was the only way to let society know about his unfair circumstances."
However, the defense also argued diminished mental capacity, stating, "He committed the crime after falling into extreme delusions due to feelings of social isolation and alienation."
The prosecution requested that the court order Mr. Won to wear an electronic location tracking device and place him under probation.
Mr. Won is accused of attempting to kill 160 passengers, including himself, by pouring gasoline on the floor and setting it on fire inside a train running between Yeouinaru Station and Mapo Station on Line 5 at around 8:42 a.m. on May 31, but failed to do so and instead injured six people.
Investigations revealed that Mr. Won, dissatisfied with the outcome of his divorce proceedings, contemplated suicide and decided to commit the crime on public transportation, believing it would draw public attention. The next hearing is scheduled for the morning of September 16.
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