Police are expanding damage suits against online perpetrators of false bombing and terror threats, including a person who threatened to attack a BTS concert in Gwanghwamun. With a single threatening post triggering large-scale deployment of public resources such as officer dispatches and on-site searches, police plan to impose not only criminal punishment but also the actual social costs incurred.
The Korean National Police Agency said Tuesday it would file damage suits in four cases, including against the person who posted the terror threat targeting the BTS concert in Gwanghwamun, to recover the social costs caused by online public threat crimes and false reports.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency plans to file a damage suit of 2.28 million won against a person who posted a message on social media in March implying a terror attack on the BTS concert in Gwanghwamun, threatening to "throw water bottles filled with gasoline."
The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency is also pursuing a total of 31.91 million won in damage claims against a suspect who, between December last year and February this year, sent false emails claiming bombs had been installed at companies including Kakao and KT, and sent emails to the 119 Safety Report Center threatening to blow up Gangnam Station, Busan Station, and Cheonan-Asan Station.
In addition, police plan to file a damage suit of 1.21 million won against a suspect who posted false threats on an online community claiming they would blow up the Presidential Office, the Blue House, the presidential residence, and an apartment complex in Bundang-gu.
Since last year, police have been pursuing civil damage claims in parallel with criminal punishment. Last month, police filed a damage suit of 71.64 million won against a suspect who posted threats 13 times claiming they would blow up multiple schools, including Daein High School in Incheon and Chowol High School in Gyeonggi. Police also claimed 3.6 million won in damages against a person who posted a bomb threat against Wolgye High School.
Last year, police also pursued damage suits over a bombing threat against Shinsegae Department Store and a murder threat at Yatap Station.
"We will continue to actively operate the damage compensation review committee to prevent security gaps caused by the waste of public resources and to prevent public anxiety," a Korean National Police Agency official said.
