Man detained after attempting to set fire to Seoul subway car with insecticide spray

A man in his 40s has been detained after attempting to set fire to a subway car using an insecticide spray and a lighter.

The Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for the suspect, identified only by his surname Kim, after holding a pre-detention hearing Tuesday on charges of attempted arson of an occupied railcar. Presiding judge Bu Dong-sik cited a risk of flight as grounds for the detention.

According to police, Kim carried out the attack at around 9:12 p.m. Sunday aboard a Line 4 train traveling from Myeong-dong Station toward Chungmuro Station. He is accused of igniting a lighter and attempting to spray insecticide toward the train's emergency door-release mechanism.

Passengers intervened and restrained Kim, preventing the incident from escalating into a major fire. Police arrested him at the scene at around 9:25 p.m. — roughly 10 minutes after the attempt.