Man arrested over explosion at South Korea dental hospital

A man was detained in South Korea on Thursday ( Aug 22 ) after an explosion at a dental hospital caused a fire and prompted the evacuation of around 90 people, according to police. &nbsp,

A field resembling a supply piece exploded at the gate of the three-story clinic in Gwangju, around 267km south of Seoul, forcing all of the property’s tenants, including people, to leave the premises, local authorities told AFP. No deaths were reported.

A Gwangju Metropolitan Police official said that the box, which contained four propane canisters and a plastic container filled with flammable materials, caused a sky- and some furniture-damage incident.

The Gwangju authorities said around 45 officials, including members of the District group, were dispatched to the field.

The suspect, identified by security camera footage, later turned himself in at a policeman place about two hours after the explosion, they added.

The suspect was a gentleman in his 70s who had been treated at the hospital, according to South Korea’s Yonhap media firm, and reportedly planted the bombs because he was unhappy with the company.

He had placed the box at the hospital gate, set it on fire, and finally ran away, Yonhap said, citing authorities who reviewed the CCTV images.

South Korea is widely regarded as a healthy land, with a death rate of just 1.4 per 100, 000 persons in 2022, and serious violent crimes, including acts of terrorism, are unique.