Firefighters spray water over the birthplace of President Park Geun- hye's late father Park Chung-hee in Gumi on Thursday. [Yonhap Photo]
A suspected arson attacker torched the birthplace of President Park Geun-hye's late father Thursday, gutting a memorial hall housing the portraits of her assassinated father and mother, firefighters and reports said.
The fire broke out at 3:15 pm (0615 GMT) at the birthplace of South Korea's late ex-president Park Chung-hee in Gumi 199 kilometers (123 miles) southeast of Seoul. The blaze was put down in ten minutes by a custodian and firefighters.
The place was comprised of an old home, a memorial hall with an altar, and an annex house. A 48-year-old man surnamed Beak was caught near the scene and put into police custody for questioning.
A man suspected of an arson attack on late President Park Chung-hee's birthplace Thursday wrote a message in the guestbook that read "Park Geun-hye, you should take your life. Stop defiling the legacy of your father!" [Yonhap Photo]
The man is suspected of launching an arson attack with inflammable liquid after writing down a message in the guestbook that read "Park Geun-hye, you should take your life. Stop defiling the legacy of your father!"
Park's father ruled the country for 18 years after seizing power in a military coup in 1961. He was assassinated in 1979 by his intelligence chief.
The late president was credited with pioneering South Korea's rapid industrialization, but his dictatorial rule from 1973 has been controversial because of his brutal suppression of democratic movements.
The fire was reported shortly after Park visited her traditional political home base in Daegu some 240 kilometers (149 miles) southwest of Seoul, despite widespread public fury over her involvement in a corruption scandal.
It was Park's first official appearance outside the Blue House since October 27 when the scandal involving her longtime friend and presidential aides erupted. The disgraced leader is now pinched to the corner by popular demands for her early ouster. In parliament, opposition parties are pushing for a parliamentary vote to impeach the president.
Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
