Home > National > Social Affairs

2 foreigners arrested over walking path fire in Seoul Forest Park

Published: 15 Jun. 2025, 18:21

People rest in the shade in Seoul Forest in eastern Seoul on May 21. [YONHAP]

Police arrested two foreign nationals on Wednesday for allegedly setting fire to a walking path in Seoul Forest Park in eastern Seoul, according to the Seongdong Police Precinct on Friday.

Police are investigating a woman in her 20s and a man in his 30s, both in Korea on tourist visas.

Authorities accuse them of starting a fire on a park trail at around 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

The two reportedly used a lighter to ignite the trail before fleeing the scene. Police said the blaze scorched about 500 square meters (5,381 square feet) — roughly the size of a basketball court — though no injuries were reported.

Officers identified the suspects using nearby closed-circuit television footage and arrested both individuals around 5:30 p.m., approximately 90 minutes after the fire started.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY LEE HAY-JUNE [[email protected]]