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Man gets suspended sentence for attempting to set home on fire over lack of birthday celebrations

Published: 30 Nov. 2025, 12:19

[KOREA JOONGANG DAILY]

A man has received a suspended prison sentence for attempting to set fire to his home because his family did not celebrate his birthday.

The Cheongju District Court in North Chungcheong said Sunday that it sentenced the man to one year and six months in prison, suspended for three years, for attempted arson of an occupied building.

The man was accused of stacking tissue paper in the living room of his home in Jincheon County, North Chungcheong, on March 29, releasing gas by pressing the inlet of a butane canister and saying “Let's just all die” before igniting it with a lighter. His spouse and children were home at the time.

The fire was put out in its early stages when the children quickly poured water on it, leaving only part of the living room wall scorched. Investigators found that he felt “ignored” when his family did not celebrate his birthday the previous day.

The court said the man “attempted arson in an apartment building, creating a risk of significant casualties, and the family was present during the crime,” noting that the offense was serious. Still, the court said that in deciding the sentence, it considered that he admitted to the crime and showed remorse, and that the attempt failed.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]