Police have released surveillance footage showing the suspected Sungnyemun arsonist, who they say resembles an elderly man who has confessed to the crime.

Earlier on Tuesday, a 69-year-old man identified only by his surname Chae, confessed to setting fire to the historic city gate.

The closed-circuit video footage was shot around 8:45 pm Sunday, just before the gate caught fire. It shows a man climbing up the gate's west side, then coming down. Smoke can then be seen rising from the structure.

Announcing interim probe results Wednesday, police said it's difficult to identify the man as Chae given the poor video quality. But they quoted Chae as admitting that the man on-screen looked like him.

The National Institute of Scientific Investigation is analyzing the clip as well as similar footage from other sources.

The police will request an arrest warrant for Chae by Wednesday. They plan to conduct an on-site inspection upon issuance.

Cultural Heritage Administration and fire department officials have also been summoned for questioning.