Man tries to set fire to National Assembly

By Park Si-soo

A man in his 70s was caught trying to set fire to the National Assembly to show his anger at a corruption scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and her long-time friend Choi Soon-sil.

Police said the man, surnamed Kim, was trying to set fire to bushes surrounding the steel fence at the National Assembly at 10:20 p.m. Wednesday. Security guards caught him red-handed.

The man said he was showing his frustration about how the investigation of the scandal was being done, according to police.

He initially intended to set fire to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, but changed the target after security was tightened.

Last month, a man drove his excavator into the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office to “help Choi Soon-sil die.” At that time, Choi was being questioned at another prosecutors’ building across the street.