A suspect who unauthorizedly cut roses and branches from a popular rose spot in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, has reportedly stated that she did so for "propagation" (cuttings).

The Suwon Paldal Police Station announced on Friday (July 3) that it summoned a woman in her 60s, identified as A, for questioning as a suspect on June 29 on charges of theft.

During the police investigation, A reportedly admitted to the charges, stating, "I intended to propagate them."

Her explanation suggests she cut the branches to plant them in soil and grow them, hoping to keep the roses from withering.

She is accused of cutting roses and branches planted along a residential wall in Haenggung-dong, Paldal-gu, Suwon, around 12:00 a.m. on June 24.

The site of the incident is a well-known spot that has gained popularity on social media as the 'Blue Gate Roses' photo zone.

While most of the roses had already wilted at the time of the incident, it was determined that the suspect, along with another man in his 60s, cut and took around 10 items, including several remaining flowers and branches.

The owner of the roses confirmed the act through CCTV footage on the day of the incident and reported it to the police.

The owner, who has cultivated the roses at this location for a long time, posted photos of the damage on social media that day, lamenting, "So many roses were cut this time that it will be difficult to restore them to their previous state."

Later, a person presumed to be A left a comment on the owner's social media post, explaining, "The flowers had all wilted and it looked like pruning was needed, so I cut the branches at night and planted them in front of my house," adding, "It was such a shame to see the roses disappear."

The writer continued, "The rose branches I used for propagation were collected by the police," and added, "I am sorry for causing such great concern."

A police official stated, "We plan to summon the man who was at the scene with the suspect soon to investigate the exact circumstances and the extent of the damage."

(Photo: Social Media Capture, Yonhap News)