Chinese firebomber entertains police

A Chinese man booked for throwing firebombs at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul has reportedly been hailing Korea and showing signs of other bizarre behavior, officers reported Monday.

According to the Jongno Police Station, 38-year-old Liu who was arrested last week for throwing four Molotov cocktails at the embassy here has been singing Korea’s national anthem and cursing Japan in fluent Korean.

The Chinese, here on a tourist visa, has gained popularity among the officers as an “eccentric” individual while being investigated for the incident, which left no damage or casualties.

Police report that when Liu is told to quiet down during one of his singing fits he continues to sing quietly to himself.

“He has a good command of Korean, particularly reading and writing, which he said he learned in his childhood while being with his maternal Korean grandmother,” said an officer at the police station.

Police report that Liu told officers he committed the assault because his grandmother was forced into sex slavery by Japanese forces in World War II.

“Japan refuses to take responsibility for the sex slavery issue,” Liu told the police.

However, police have been unable to confirm the details of his motive, saying they have been unable to identify his grandmother due to a lack of information.

Police have also found that Liu’s Japanese girlfriend, who entered the country with him, left Jan. 1, leaving officers unable to confirm if she was an accomplice.

Police also reported that the man from Guangzhou, China has been extremely positive during the investigation process, greeting officers as they come and go.

According to police, Liu claims that last December he had also set fire to Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine in Japan that honors the war criminals.

Police plan to wrap up the case on Monday and forward it to prosecutors.

Korea and Japan had been at odds over the issue of comfort women who were forced into sex slavery for the Japanese military.

Korea and the few remaining comfort women have demanded an official apology and compensation from the Japanese government. Tokyo officials, however, argue that all issues including those concerning comfort women were settled under a bilateral pact signed in 1965.

By Robert Lee (robert@heraldcorp.com)