SEOUL, July 21 (AJP) - Police on Monday raided the home of a man in his 60s who had fatally shot his son the night before, retrieving a homemade explosive device. The suspect is now being questioned in connection with the rare firearm-related homicide, an unusual occurrence in South Korea, where private gun ownership is strictly regulated.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, on July 21, a special operations team was dispatched to the suspect's apartment in northeastern Seoul, where they found and safely dismantled improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The materials included gasoline and paint thinner, rigged to a timer.
The operation followed a confession from the suspect during police questioning that he had planted explosives in his residence. Authorities evacuated all 106 residents from the building and the nearby area before entering the apartment. Police said the explosives were neutralized at approximately 4:24 a.m.
The suspect had been on the run after allegedly shooting his son, a man in his 30s, at an apartment in the western port city of Incheon around 9:30 p.m. Sunday. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead shortly afterward.
Gun-related crimes are extremely rare in South Korea, where civilian ownership of firearms is tightly controlled. Handguns and rifles are generally prohibited without special authorization, and most legal firearms, such as hunting rifles, are kept at police stations. The use of both a homemade firearm and explosives in this case has drawn widespread public concern and prompted a swift response from authorities.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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