Police have filed a 71.64 million won damages lawsuit against a high school student who repeatedly posted false threats claiming he had planted explosives at his school, marking the largest such suit since Korea introduced the public intimidation crime last year.
The Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency said Tuesday it filed the lawsuit against the student, identified as A, who has been arrested and indicted on charges of public intimidation and obstruction of official duties by deceit. It is the first time the Incheon police agency has pursued civil damages against a public intimidation suspect.
The claim was calculated by adding 57.38 million won in overtime pay, 13.46 million won in base salary, 280,000 won in 112 emergency dispatch allowances, and 500,000 won in business trip and meal expenses. The amount is the largest among damages suits filed by police since the public intimidation crime was established in March last year. It exceeds the 43 million won claim filed in 2023 against the person who posted the "Sillim Station murder threat."
A was sent to trial on charges of repeatedly posting false threats on the 119 Safety Report Center between October 13 and 21 last year, claiming he had planted explosives at Daein High School in Seo-gu, Incheon, where he was enrolled. According to the investigation, he mocked the police with messages such as "You can't do anything once I route through VPN five times" and "The previous threat posts were to disperse investigative resources. This time it's real."
A was also found to have posted bomb threats targeting middle and high schools and railway stations in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, and Asan, South Chungcheong Province, on online communities. The response involved the Incheon Police Agency's counterterrorism unit, 112 management team, local police, criminal mobile unit (now the metropolitan crime investigation unit), cyber investigation unit, and Seobu Police Station, as well as Gwangju Police Station of the Gyeonggi Nambu Police Agency, Gwangju Nambu Police Station of the Gwangju Police Agency, and Asan Police Station of the South Chungcheong Police Agency. Prosecutors sought a prison term of one year to one year and six months for A on the 14th.
Police said they will continue strict responses, including pursuing civil liability against all bomb threat offenders regardless of damage amounts, to prevent similar crimes from recurring. To date, police have filed damages suits of 12 million won and 55 million won against the posters of the "Shinsegae Department Store bomb threat" and the "Yatap Station murder threat," respectively, and are preparing nine additional related lawsuits.
