Arson in South Korean subway

February 18, 2003 2:19 AM

More senseless killing, boys and girls: an Arson in a South Korean subway. "With 135 people injured, many seriously, and at least 90 people listed as missing, officials say they expect the death toll to rise much higher." This will, no doubt, help in stabilizing the region.
posted by antimarx (10 comments total)

I don't think one lunatic on the subway will make any difference to the geopolitical situation in the area. I read on the BBC that a man suffering from mental illness was arrested at the scene - incredible if whoever did this has survived - I assume this was the work of a sick mind rather than anything more sinister (although absolutely tragic all the same).
posted by brettski at 2:28 AM on February 18, 2003

As relevant as this is to me (I have an AP story on this open in another window and I'm reloading it often), it's still not MeFi material. It doesn't stop being NewsFilter because I find it interesting.
posted by Octaviuz at 2:34 AM on February 18, 2003

Agreed, Octaviuz.

For what it's worth, though, in the meantime, the TV here in Korea is reporting more than 100 dead at this point. But they caught the guy who threw the molotov cocktail, and he's Korean, and senseless as it was, it wasn't a political thing.

As far as 'tensions in the region', almost every Korean that I know here laughs and says 'more of the same' when asked if they're any more worried about the DPRK than usual. Massive media hoohah in N America and elsewhere, and no doubt the flames are being fanned overseas for a reason, but most of those of us smack up against it are fairly unruffled...

*knocks on wood*
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:14 AM on February 18, 2003

(Hey, I didn't know you were in Busan!)
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:15 AM on February 18, 2003

what exactly is so flamable in a subway?
posted by delmoi at 4:17 AM on February 18, 2003

it wasn't a political thing.

Too early to say.

Hey, I didn't know you were in Busan!

Criminy Stav! Go back to your "anti-American" FPP. Octaviuz weighed in there from Pusan, if memory does not fail me.

Yep I checked.

He's been in Pusan a long while.
posted by hama7 at 4:22 AM on February 18, 2003

Oh dear. It's too early for alzheimers....I'll have to blame the beer.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:24 AM on February 18, 2003

delmoi : I said much the same thing to my wife about an hour ago as we watched the TV coverage. In a confined space, though, a bottle full of gasoline will do a pretty good job of getting anything that is flammable burning, I'd imagine...
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:26 AM on February 18, 2003

Indeed. Clothing, hair, plastics. You name it.
posted by bwg at 4:33 AM on February 18, 2003

And whatever was in the bottle...
posted by antimarx at 11:31 PM on February 19, 2003