'Bongdaesan Fire Squirrel' Indicted for Arson in Three Forest Fires

A man in his 60s, known by the nickname 'Bongdaesan Fire Squirrel,' has been indicted on charges of starting three forest fires in Hamgyong and other areas between January and February of this year. Mr. A has been arrested and indicted by the prosecution for violating the Forest Disaster Prevention Act.

In the past, Mr. A was responsible for over 90 arson incidents in the Bongdaesan area of Dong-gu, Ulsan, and was released in 2021 after serving a 10-year prison sentence. It has been confirmed that he subsequently moved to his hometown of Hamgyong.

The fires occurred in Namwon, North Jeolla Province, and Hamgyong, South Gyeongsang Province. The blaze that began on a hillside in Changwon-ri, Macheon-myeon, Hamgyong-gun, on February 21st, escalated into a large forest fire. Following the incident, police identified Mr. A through joint forensic investigation, CCTV analysis, and searches and seizures, leading to his emergency arrest.

During the investigation, Mr. A reportedly stated, "I felt exhilarated watching news about forest fires and couldn't control my impulses." The prosecution, after supplementary investigations including clinical psychological evaluations and fire analysis, specified the motive and methods of the crime before indicting him.

The Hamgyong forest fire on February 21st spread rapidly due to strong winds, making firefighting efforts difficult. The blaze resulted in the destruction of 234 hectares of forest, and one vinyl greenhouse and one farm shed were completely burned down.