Man detained for trying to light himself on fire near Blue House

A man who attempted to set himself on fire near the Chunchugwan press hall at the Blue House, Korea's presidential complex, was detained by police on Monday.

The Blue House in Jongno District, central Seoul is seen from the government complex in Seoul on Dec. 21, 2025. [NEWS1]

A man who attempted to set himself on fire near the Chunchugwan press hall at the Blue House, Korea's presidential complex, was detained by police on Monday.

The Jongno Police Precinct arrested the man at the scene on charges of preparing and conspiring to commit arson, according to police on Monday.

At around 3:20 p.m., the man allegedly poured gasoline on his body and the surrounding area near the Chunchugwan building in Jongno District and attempted to ignite it with a lighter he was carrying.

Police subdued the man before the fire was lit, and no flames broke out.

“This is an attempted arson case near the Blue House, so it has been designated a major incident, and we plan to swiftly investigate the motive and purpose of the act,” a police official said.

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 HAN YOUNG-HYE [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]