A 70-year-old man, identified as A, is accused of setting fire to two buildings in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam, and it has been confirmed that he registered fitness equipment designs both domestically and internationally under his name. A claims that patent firms deceived him, but registration records show that he is listed as both the creator and rights holder of the designs.
According to Yonhap News on October 21, A registered designs for a "strength training device" in 2019 and a "fitness equipment" in 2020 with the Korean Intellectual Property Office. Both design registration publications list A as the creator and rights holder.
The strength training device registered in 2019 features cylindrical supports that stabilize a bar, allowing users to maintain balance or rotate while building strength. The registration process was handled by patent firm B, which is located on the third floor of the Shinmyeong Building, where a fire occurred the day before. The design registered the following year was represented by patent firm C, located on the fourth floor of the Hanyang Building, another fire site. Both firms filed applications on behalf of A, and the design rights were granted to him.
Similar registrations were confirmed abroad. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office registered the two designs in July 2021 and February 2022, respectively, while Brazil's Industrial Property Office registered them in 2020. Records from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) indicate that protection has also been recognized in the European Union, Japan, and Canada.
However, design registration only protects the appearance of a product and does not guarantee actual production or sales revenue. Choi Seung-jae, a professor at Sejong University, explained, "Registering a design and actually producing and selling a product are separate issues," emphasizing that holding rights does not necessarily mean generating profit.
In 2022, A reportedly threatened employees at these patent firms. He was sentenced to two years and six months in prison in April of the following year for allegedly spraying gasoline in the office and threatening staff with a lighter and scissors.
Police are investigating whether the recent arson was motivated by dissatisfaction over the issuance of overseas trademark registration certificates. A initially received information that only online certificates would be issued but later demanded a paper certificate, leading him to suspect that a patent attorney had stolen his trademark.
On October 20, A set fire to the third floor of the Shinmyeong Building at 11:54 a.m. and then to the fourth floor of the Hanyang Building at 12:01 p.m., approximately 200 meters away. He fled the scene but was apprehended later that afternoon near Dongmyo Station in Seoul. When questioned by reporters about his motives, A claimed, "I was defrauded by the patent law firm," and warned victims, "Don't commit fraud in the future."
A has reportedly admitted to most of his actions during police questioning. Authorities plan to request an arrest warrant for A on charges of arson.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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