Seoul: A Seoul court handed down a 12-year prison sentence to a man on Tuesday for attempted murder after he set a subway train on fire in May.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the 67-year-old man, identified only by his surname Won, faced charges for attempting to murder 160 passengers, including himself, by igniting gasoline on a moving train between Yeouinaru Station and Mapo Station on Seoul's Subway Line 5 on May 31. The incident resulted in injuries to six passengers.
The Seoul Southern District Court also imposed three years of probation on Won, although prosecutors had sought a 20-year sentence. During the chaotic incident, passengers rushed to escape the flames, leading to 23 individuals being hospitalized for smoke inhalation and 129 others receiving treatment at the scene.
Won reportedly acted out of a desire to end his own life after becoming dissatisfied with the outcome of his divorce proceedings. He chose the subway as the site of his actions in an effort to garner attention.