(LEAD) police-arson suspect

▲ A man suspected of committing arson at two buildings in southern Seoul is surrounded by reporters and police officers at Suseo Police Station in the southern part of the capital on Oct. 20, 2026. (Yonhap)

(ATTN: UPDATES with arrest warrant filing in paras 1-2; RECASTS headline)

SEOUL, Oct. 21 (Yonhap) -- Police said Wednesday they have sought a formal arrest warrant for a man on suspicion of arson resulting in injury after he set fires at two buildings in southern Seoul earlier this week, leaving 19 people injured.

The suspect was taken into custody hours after setting fires at separate patent firms housed in the two buildings in Seoul's Gangnam district Tuesday. The incident left 19 people injured, including one who was rushed to a hospital in cardiac arrest.

The suspect told investigators that he bought two jerrycans, a lighter and flammable material near his home in western Seoul on Friday, according to the police.

He claimed the patent firms had defrauded him by issuing fake patent registration certificates, and that he had wanted to scare them and let the world know, the police said.

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