15-1-2025 (SEOUL) An unidentified man died after setting himself ablaze in the car park adjacent to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) headquarters in Gwacheon, authorities confirmed.
Emergency services responded to distress calls at approximately 8:05 pm local time after witnesses reported seeing a person engulfed in flames. Despite swift intervention by firefighters and immediate medical attention, the man succumbed to severe burn injuries after being rushed to hospital.
The incident coincided with a watershed moment in South Korean political history, as President Yoon Suk Yeol was brought in for questioning at the same CIO facility. Yoon made history as the nation’s first sitting president to face detention whilst under investigation for alleged insurrection charges.
Local law enforcement has launched a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the self-immolation. Detective Chief Inspector Kim from the Gwacheon Metropolitan Police told reporters that officers are meticulously gathering witness statements and reviewing CCTV footage to establish the deceased’s identity and possible motives.
“We are treating this matter with utmost sensitivity and thoroughness,” a police spokesperson said. “Our priority is to identify the individual and notify next of kin.”
