Man dies in fire he started in 'gaming center' after apparently losing money

This photo provided by the Jeonnam Fire Service shows firefighters and police officers investigating the scene of an arson at a commercial building in Yeongam-gun, South Jeolla Province, Sunday. (Jeonnam Fire Service)

South Korean police said Monday they plan to forward to prosecutors the case of a suspected arson that occurred Sunday at a gaming center, which testimonies suggest was due to the suspect's anger after losing money.

Officials will not request criminal charges against the suspect, as he perished in the fire that left four others injured and resulted in 12.4 million won ($9,250) of damage to the facility.

The suspect, identified only as a Chinese national in his 60s, is believed to have set fire to the adult-only gaming establishment in Yeongam-gun, South Jeolla Province, at 1:29 p.m. on Sunday. He appears to have locked the door and sprayed flammable substances on the establishment before starting the fire.

Injuring people by setting fire to an occupied building is punishable by at least five years in prison under Article 164 of the Criminal Act.

The exact motivation of the arson is unclear as of now, but eyewitnesses said that the suspect "caused a disturbance after losing money." If the gaming center is found to have run an illegal gambling operation, the operators of the gaming center could be subject to criminal punishment.

South Korea bans gambling at non-casino establishments as well as what are legally called "pseudo-casino operations," referring to de facto casino businesses that grant cash or other benefits as a result of games.

Such adult-only gaming centers are allowed to distribute small amounts of gift certificates as prizes, but are banned from functioning as casinos.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)