In rare gun crime in South Korea, father kills son; bomb found at home

SEOUL – A shocking domestic shooting in South Korea over the weekend ended with a man dead, his father in custody and a bomb squad evacuating dozens from a Seoul apartment building.

Police in Incheon received an emergency call late on July 20 about a man who had shot his own son in a high-rise residential complex in Songdo International City, a modern waterfront district west of Seoul.

According to the Incheon Yeonsu Police Station, the victim, a man in his 30s, was taken to a hospital where he later died.

The suspect, identified only as a man in his 60s and confirmed to be the victim’s father, fled the scene with the homemade firearm he allegedly used.

Seoul police arrested him early on July 21 in Seoul’s Gangnam district, about 30km away, after a three-hour manhunt.

During questioning, the suspect told police he also placed an explosive device inside his home in Dobong, northern Seoul.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, 105 residents were evacuated as the bomb squad searched the building. They found and safely removed a makeshift explosive composed of accelerants and a timer.

Photos shared online showed police tactical units and ambulances stationed outside the apartment complex in Songdo, prompting early speculation of a mass shooting.

The authorities clarified there was only one victim and no further injuries.

Gun violence remains extremely rare in South Korea, where private ownership of firearms is tightly regulated. The use of a self-made weapon and the presence of an explosive device have alarmed both officials and the public.

Police say the suspect is in custody and under investigation for murder and possession of illegal weapons. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK