Subway fire horror
The week's news at a glance.
Daegu, South Korea
At least 120 people burned to death this week when a man lit a firebomb in a crowded subway train in South Korea’s third-largest city. The fire started in a train sitting in a station and quickly spread to another train. Many trapped passengers managed to call relatives on cell phones before suffocating on the fumes. Panicked relatives rushed to the station only to wait three agonizing hours for firefighters to subdue the flames and clear the toxic smoke. The suspected arsonist, Kim Dae-han, 56, is a truck driver with a history of mental illness. YTN television news said Kim had once threatened to burn down a hospital where he said he received poor treatment.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Why are Ukraine's anti-corruption issues roaring back into focus now?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION A new bill curbing anti-corruption bodies prompted Ukraine's first mass protests against President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in years. Where are the roots of this domestic unrest, and what could it mean for Ukraine's future?
-
'Repatriation is not a favor'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
6 head-turning homes for town house living
Feature Featuring a roof deck with city views in South Carolina and a renovated Harlem brownstone in New York City