S.Korean man sets himself on fire over feud with marriage agency

Seoul, Jan 17 (IANS) A South Korean man is in serious condition after setting himself on fire out of anger over a feud with an international marriage agency that refused to arrange a spouse for him, officials said on Monday.The 64-year-old man set himself ablaze at the office of the marriage agency on the southern island of Jeju at around 12.56 p.m. a on Sunday, according to police and fire authorities on the island.During talks with the head of the agency, the man suddenly poured a bottle of gasoline over himself and set fire with a lighter, reports Yonhap News Agency.The agency chief threw water on him and put out the fire, but the man sustained first- to third-degree burns and remains unconscious at a hospital.According to an initial police probe, the man was upset about the agency's refusal to arrange an international marriage for him on grounds that he is legally unqualified.Under immigration rules, a South Korean national cannot qualify for a new marriage visa a foreign spouse for five years after the previous invitation of a foreigner to the country for marital purposes.Police officials said under the rules, the man was ineligible since his previous international marriage was in 2017, adding a further probe will be conducted as soon as he regains consciousness.
--IANS ksk/

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