NEW : ` ` ' Chae '' was convicted of torching a Korean restaurant in 2006 . NEW : Chae has confessed to setting the Namdaemun fire , police report says . Watch the reaction to the Namdaemun 's destruction » . NEW : Easy access , lightly populated area dictated Namdaemun choice , police say . The more - than-600-year - old Namdaemun was country 's oldest wooden building .
NEW : ` ` ' Chae '' was convicted of torching a Korean restaurant in 2006 . NEW : Chae has confessed to setting the Namdaemun fire , police report says . NEW : Easy access , lightly populated area dictated Namdaemun choice , police say . The more - than-600-year - old Namdaemun was country 's oldest wooden building .