Seoul, June 27, 2025 — A horrifying scene unfolded on Seoul Metro’s Line 5 during morning rush hour when a 67-year-old man, identified only as Won, intentionally doused a packed subway carriage with petrol and set it ablaze.
The incident, which took place between Yeouinaru and Mapo stations at around 8:45 a.m., sent shockwaves through the city and sparked urgent safety concerns.
What Happened?
- Surveillance footage captured Won calmly pouring a clear liquid—later confirmed as gasoline—onto the floor of a crowded subway car before igniting it with a lighter.
- Flames erupted rapidly, accompanied by thick smoke, triggering panic among commuters. One pregnant woman slipped in the chaos, while several others fought the blaze with fire extinguishers.
Human Response & Safety Measures
- Over 400 passengers evacuated through a nearby tunnel, with 129 receiving first-aid on-site and 23 hospitalized for smoke inhalation or minor injuries. Six additional people sustained minor physical injuries. Thankfully, there were no fatalities.
- Authorities credit fire-resistant interior materials, installed after the deadly 2003 Daegu subway disaster, for slowing the fire’s spread. Quick thinking by the experienced train operator (with 28 years on the job) and passengers using emergency door releases helped avert catastrophe.
- No serious casualties, but the damages are estimated to top £161,400.
The Suspect & Motive
- Won was arrested on the spot, with burn marks on his hands that gave him away. He later confessed that he acted out of anger over his divorce settlement, aiming to draw attention to his personal grievance.
- Prosecutors have charged him with attempted murder, arson causing injury, and violating railway safety laws, treating the act as tantamount to terrorism given the potential scale of harm. Estimated damages total 330 million won (approx. $240,000).
Why It Matters
- The attack triggered painful echoes of the 2003 Daegu subway fire, one of South Korea’s worst disasters, which claimed 192 lives in minutes.
- That tragedy prompted major safety upgrades—from flame-resistant interiors to improved evacuation systems—that are credited with preventing a similar outcome in this case.
Next Steps & Broader Implications
- Won remains in custody, pending formal trial, and prosecutors are pushing for a pre-trial detention warrant.
- Seoul Metro is considering a civil lawsuit to recover damages and evaluating why emergency CCTV footage wasn’t relayed to control centers in real time.
- Public safety experts emphasize that rising acts of this nature—driven by personal stress and social pressure—demand enhanced fire-response training and awareness campaigns.
Final Word
The Seoul subway arson was a chilling reminder that personal despair can quickly escalate into public danger. But it also highlighted the life-saving impact of robust safety improvements and calm, courageous behavior by both crew and passengers.
Seoul’s transit system escaped disaster this time; the lessons learned must ensure it never comes that close again.
