Serial arson in Yeoksam-dong leaves 19 injured; identity of 77-year-old suspect Lee Myeong-su disclosed

[Financial News] The personal information of a man in his 70s suspected of setting fires at two buildings in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, in succession and injuring 19 people has been disclosed.
On the 3rd, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency published on its website the name, age and photograph of Lee Myeong-su (77), who was referred to prosecutors while in custody on suspicion of attempted murder and arson of an occupied building resulting in injury. The information will be posted for 30 days, through the 3rd of next month.
Earlier, on the 28th of last month, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency convened the Personal Information Disclosure Review Committee (the committee), which voted to disclose Lee Myeong-su’s personal information.
The committee considered the seriousness of the harm, the cruelty of the methods used in the crime and the sufficiency of the evidence. It also determined that disclosing his personal information was necessary in the public interest, including to prevent repeat offenses and crime.
Lee Myeong-su did not challenge the decision to disclose his personal information, and the information was released after a five-day grace period.
Lee Myeong-su is suspected of setting fires in succession at two buildings in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, that housed patent law firm offices, from 11:51 a.m. on the 20th of last month until around 12:01 p.m. Five people were seriously injured and 14 suffered minor injuries, for a total of 19 people injured.
Lee Myeong-su had previously attempted to commit arson against those patent law firms in 2022. At the time, dissatisfied with issues including patent applications and the issuance of paper registration certificates, he was brought to trial on suspicion of threatening employees while spraying them with gasoline and was sentenced to two years and six months in prison.
The disclosure of personal information in this case was made under Article 4 of the Act on the Disclosure of Personal Information of Suspects, etc. in Specific Serious Crimes.
[email protected] Lee Dong-hyeok Reporter