By Olatunbosun Obafemi
South Korean police have arrested a man who allegedly set fire to a moving train in the city of Daejeon after losing a divorce case, in an attack that left several passengers injured and triggered panic.
Authorities said the incident occurred on Thursday morning when the suspect, a man in his 50s, boarded a Mugunghwa-ho passenger train traveling toward Busan. Shortly after departure, he doused parts of a carriage with flammable liquid and ignited it, causing flames and thick smoke to spread rapidly.
Passengers screamed and scrambled to escape as the blaze engulfed the seats. Train staff and fellow commuters managed to extinguish the fire before it could spread further, but at least seven people suffered smoke inhalation and minor burns. They were rushed to nearby hospitals and are reported to be in stable condition.
The suspect was subdued on the spot by passengers and railway police before being handed over to investigators. During questioning, he reportedly admitted that he acted out of frustration after a court ruled against him in a bitter divorce settlement. Police described his actions as deliberate and reckless, noting that he had purchased lighter fluid in advance.
“This was a shocking and extremely dangerous act that could have led to mass casualties,” a Daejeon police official said. “We are treating this as a serious case of attempted mass murder.”
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport confirmed that services on the affected line were temporarily suspended but later resumed after safety checks. Authorities are reviewing emergency protocols to prevent similar attacks in the future.
Train arson is rare in South Korea, though the incident has revived painful memories of the 2003 Daegu subway fire, when an arsonist killed 192 people after setting ablaze two subway trains.
The suspect remains in custody as prosecutors prepare charges of arson, attempted murder, and endangering public safety.
