On the 21st, the suspect in a wildfire that broke out in Uichang-gu, Changwon, South Gyeongsang, turned out to be a juvenile under the age of criminal responsibility. The government recently said it would respond strictly to illegal acts that cause wildfires, but in this case it is expected to be difficult to hold the suspects criminally liable.
On the 24th, Changwon West Police Station said it received a request for an investigation from the Changwon special judicial police into two people, including middle school student A, who are suspected of causing a fire by negligence.
According to police, A and others are suspected of starting a fire while setting off fireworks on a hill in Bongnim-dong, Uichang-gu, Changwon, on the afternoon of the 21st. A review found they are currently 12 years old, which makes them juveniles under the age of criminal responsibility under current law (ages 10 to under 14).
Police plan to question A and others to determine the exact cause of the fire.
Meanwhile, the wildfire that started at about 3:52 p.m. on the 21st in Bongnim-dong, Uichang-gu, Changwon, burned 3,000 square meters of forest land, and the main blaze was contained in about an hour. During the response, out of concern that the flames could spread to apartments near the hill, the fire department briefly issued a Level 1 response, mobilizing all personnel and equipment under its jurisdiction.