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Police identify suspect allegedly responsible for last month's fire at Gyeongbok Palace

Published: 10 Apr. 2026, 09:21

The damaged Sambimun, the gate leading to Jaseondang at Gyeongbok Palace [KOREAN HERITAGE SERVICE]

Sambimun, the outer eastern gate of Gyeongbok Palace, had given off smoke the day before the fire last month, according to authorities, raising the possibility that a person caused the incident.

The Seoul Jongno Police Station said on Thursday that it is focusing its investigation on whether the blaze was caused by the negligence of a man seen near Sambimun shortly before the fire broke out.

An analysis of nearby CCTV footage shows that smoke first began to rise at around 4 p.m. on March 27, the day before the fire.

The suspect was seen lingering for about one minute in a CCTV blind spot near the site about 20 minutes before the smoke began.

Police identified the man on March 30 but discovered that he had already left the country that day.

According to the National Forensic Service, although no substances that help fire spread faster were found at the scene, it could not rule out the possibility that such materials had completely burned up in the incident, leaving no trace.

Police are currently enhancing the original CCTV footage and are also considering requesting that the suspect appear for questioning.

The fire at Sambimun began at around 5:30 a.m. on March 28 and was discovered by a night security guard who noticed the smoke and flames while on patrol. It was extinguished within 10 minutes via a fire extinguisher and a hydrant, but a part of Sambimun was damaged and required repairs.

BY JUNG SIN-NAE [[email protected]]