Attacker sets fire to British student's face in Seoul university dormitory

The Seoul Hyehwa Police Precinct in Jongno District, central Seoul [YONHAP]

A man set fire to the face of a woman international student in a Seoul university dormitory. The police are searching for the suspect using security camera footage.

According to the Seoul Hyehwa Police Precinct on Saturday, it received a report filed from an area near the university dormitory at 10 p.m. on Friday.

The report said that an unidentified man set fire to a woman's face and fled. The suspect sprayed a flammable substance on the victim's face, ignited it with a lighter and fled the scene.

The victim, identified as a British woman studying at the university and staying in its dormitory, suffered second-degree burns. While her injuries are not life-threatening, second-degree burns refer to damage to the outer and middle layers of the skin, often causing swelling, blisters and severe pain.

The student had reported to the police that a Korean man was stalking her.

The police said they "cannot disclose any more details about the incident until the suspect is arrested."

BY KIM DONG-EUN [kim.dongeun@joongang.co.kr]