산 정상 봉에서 석유로 의심되는 액체 발견

[홀랜]

Liquid suspected to be petroleum is seen spread across a wooden deck at the summit of Taehaengsan in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. (Hwaseong Western Police Station)

A plastic container stained with black liquid is found on the wooden deck at the summit of Taehaengsan in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. (Hwaseong Western Police Station)

South Korean police said on Thursday that a substance suspected to be waste petroleum had been found scattered on a wooden deck at the summit of Taehaengsan in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province.

According to Hwaseong Western Police Station, a local resident reported at 2:10 p.m. on Thursday that a potentially flammable liquid resembling petroleum had been dispersed across the summit deck for the past three days.

When police arrived they located a plastic container stained with black liquid, which is believed to have stored the combustible material.

Police are searching for the suspect based on statements from residents and hikers, as well as surveillance footage of major trails around the mountain deck. Police also collected the substance and sent it to the National Forensic Service for chemical analysis.

There has been some speculation that the spread of the liquid was not necessarily with the intention to start a fire, but rather to deter campers from sleeping on the deck overnight.

"Lately, there’s been a rise in people camping at the mountain summit on the deck, which has led to some tension with hikers," a police official said.

"Once the suspect is apprehended, we will thoroughly investigate the motive behind the actions and determine whether any criminal charges should be filed."

cjh@heraldcorp.com