Man who self-immolated near CIO headquarters dies
Published: 20 Jan. 2025, 18:12
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- LIM JEONG-WON
- [email protected]
![Police and firefighters inspect the scene near the parking lot of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, where a man in his 50s self-immolated on Jan. 15. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/20/f7498fa4-afc7-45e6-838e-9721bc92081a.jpg)
Police and firefighters inspect the scene near the parking lot of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, where a man in his 50s self-immolated on Jan. 15. [NEWS1]
A man in his 50s who set himself on fire near the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi on Wednesday, the day that President Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested on charges of insurrection, died Monday.
According to investigative authorities on Monday, the man, who was seriously injured in the self-immolation incident, died while receiving treatment at a hospital in Seoul at around 2:34 p.m.
The man had previously set himself on fire using a flammable substance in a grassy space near the CIO headquarters parking lot at around 8:05 p.m. on Wednesday, and had since been receiving treatment for burns and other serious injuries.
The same man was suspected of arson in connection to a fire that broke out at 12:11 a.m. Wednesday at an empty lot near the Democratic Party (DP) headquarters in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul.
The man reportedly stated to police that he had done so because he was angry that authorities were arresting the current president “instead of arresting Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the DP.”
The man suffered third-degree burns all over his body and was treated while being unconscious.
Police determined that the man had attended a rally opposing the impeachment of Yoon after the Dec. 3 martial law incident.
There is currently no information indicating the motive for the self-immolation.
If you or someone you know is feeling emotionally distressed or struggling with thoughts of suicide, LifeLine Korea can be contacted at 1588-9191. The Seoul Foreign Resident Center offers English-language counseling. Contact 02-2229-4900 to arrange a session. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.
BY LIM JEONG-WON [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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