Court upholds 12-year prison sentence for man who set fire to subway train

A man who set fire to a Seoul subway train was sentenced to 12 years in prison in his appeal trial, the same sentence that was handed down by a lower court.

A picture of a man surnamed Won sets fire aboard a moving subway train on Seoul Metro Line No. 5 on May 31, 2025 [SEOUL SOUTHERN DISTRICT PROSECUTORS' OFFICE]

A man who set fire to a Seoul subway train was sentenced to 12 years in prison in his appeal trial, the same sentence that was handed down by a lower court.

The Seoul High Court on Thursday upheld a 12-year prison sentence and three years of probation for the defendant, surnamed Won, who was indicted on charges including attempted murder, arson of a train in operation resulting in injury and violation of the Railroad Safety Act.

Won was accused of attempting to kill 160 passengers and injuring six by pouring gasoline on the floor and setting it on fire with a lighter inside a Line No. 5 train traveling through the tunnel between Yeouinaru and Mapo Stations at 8:42 a.m. on May 31 last year.

The fire caused 23 people, including Won, to suffer smoke inhalation and require hospitalization, while 129 others were treated on-site. One subway car was partially burned, resulting in more than 300 million won ($203,700) in property damage.

Won reportedly told investigators that he had been distressed by an unfavorable ruling in his divorce case and was considering taking his own life. He said he chose to commit the crime aboard public transportation, believing it would draw public attention.

In the first trial, the court said, “The defendant gravely undermined public trust in the safety of mass transit, and with the exception of a few victims, little restitution has been made.” The court sentenced him to 12 years in prison.

The appellate court said, “The lower court gave a detailed explanation of its reasoning, and upon review, its sentencing decision remains valid.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY JEONG HYE-JEONG [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]