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Man booked for pouring engine oil on Mount Taehaeng observation deck

Published: 31 Mar. 2025, 13:34 Updated: 31 Mar. 2025, 14:04

Used oil stains a wooden platform in Mount Taehaeng in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, in a file photo provided by the Gyeonggi Fire Services on March 31. [GYEONGGI FIRE SERVICES]

A man in his 60s turned himself in to the police after pouring used oil near the summit of a mountain in Seoul.

The Hwaseong Seobu Police Precinct in Gyeonggi said Monday that the man has been booked without detention on charges of property damage.

He is accused of pouring used engine oil on the wooden deck at the peak of Mount Taehaeng in Hwaseong, at around 7:50 a.m. on March 21.

The incident came to light after hikers reported a foul-smelling substance near the summit on social media. A passerby later filed a formal complaint with police on Thursday.

Police launched an investigation, and the man turned himself in the following day after seeing media reports about the case.

Authorities said the man works in the automobile repair industry. According to their investigation, he was upset by the growing number of “backpackers” — hikers carrying camping gear who pitch tents on mountaintop decks — and poured the oil in an attempt to discourage them from camping there. He was reportedly angered by what he described as trash left behind by some of the campers.

“I did it because more people were backpacking,” he told police. “I had no intention of starting a fire.”

Police said there was no evidence to suggest arson. The oil used was not a flammable substance like alcohol or gasoline, and no signs of attempted ignition were found. Investigators concluded that if the man had intended to start a fire, he would have likely done so immediately.

The incident occurred amid nationwide concern over wildfires that have devastated parts of the country since March 21, particularly in the Gyeongsang region.

As of Sunday, the wildfires had killed around 30 people and left a total of 75 casualties. Authorities estimate more than 48,000 hectares (118,610 acres) of land have been affected, with around 3,000 homes destroyed.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]