Who is the suspect in the Seoul patent-firm arson case, and what charges does he face?

Police identified the suspect as Lee Myung-soo, 77. He was referred to prosecutors on charges of arson and attempted murder.

Why did Lee Myung-soo say he set fires at the patent firms in Seoul?

Lee claimed the patent firms had scammed him. He said he wanted to scare people, not hurt them.

Why did Seoul police release Lee Myung-soo’s identity and mug shots?

A review committee decided to disclose his identity, and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency posted his photographs on its website. In Korea, identities and mug shots may be released in serious-crime cases when there is substantial evidence that the suspects committed the offenses.

Police release identity of suspect in Seoul building arson

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Summary

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency released the identity and mug shots of Lee Myung-soo, 77, on Tuesday after he was accused of setting fires at two patent firms in southern Seoul last month, injuring 26 people. Lee was taken into custody shortly after the Oct. 20 fires and referred to prosecutors last week on charges of arson and attempted murder. Investigators believe he planned the fires and likely knew people were inside, while Lee says he wanted to scare people, not hurt them.

Key Facts

A review committee decided to release Lee’s identity and photographs, which the police agency posted on its website.
The fires occurred in two buildings in Seoul’s Gangnam ward on Oct. 20.
Lee claimed he had been scammed by the patent firms.
In Korea, authorities release the identities and mug shots of people suspected of serious crimes when there is substantial evidence that they committed the offenses.

By Yonhap

Published Nov 3, 2026 9:54 am KST

This image shows the identity of Lee Myung-soo, 77, suspected of setting fires at two patent firms in Gangnam District, Seoul. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency

Police on Tuesday released the identity and mug shots of a suspect accused of setting fires at two patent firms in southern Seoul last month and leaving 26 people injured.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency posted the photos of Lee Myung-soo, 77, on its website following a decision by a review committee. Lee is suspected of committing arson in two buildings in Seoul's southern ward of Gangnam on Oct. 20,

He was taken into custody shortly after the fires and was referred to the prosecution last week on charges of arson and attempted murder.

Investigators believe the suspect planned the arson and was likely aware of people inside the offices.

Lee has claimed that he was scammed by the patent firms and only wanted to scare people, not hurt them.

Korea releases the identities and mug shots of those suspected of committing serious crimes when there is substantial evidence that they committed the offenses.

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