The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has issued an emergency school bell alert to prevent the posting and distribution of messages that cause social anxiety, following the high proportion of youth among those who posted murder threats.
On the 7th, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced the issuance of Emergency School Bell No. 3 to prevent murder threat posts. This measure aims to prevent the amplification of public anxiety caused by the posting and distribution of murder threats following the incidents at Sillim Station and Seohyeon Station.
The police are conducting focused investigations on those who post murder threats. It has been found that a significant proportion of the posters are adolescents. A 17-year-old high school student who was arrested on the 5th after posting a message on social media (SNS) along with a photo of a weapon stating "I will commit murder in the Cheonan area" said the post was made as a simple prank. A 14-year-old middle school student who posted a murder threat at Misa Station also said the post was made "out of boredom as a prank."
The Emergency School Bell No. 3 issued by the police this time carries a message asking people to stop distributing such posts as they cause extreme social anxiety and to restore daily life. It also states that posting murder threats is punishable under laws such as the crime of intimidation (special intimidation) and urges anyone aware of such posts to immediately report them to 112.
The School Bell system is a system established through cooperation between the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. When a new type of youth-related crime occurs, related information is disseminated in the form of card news to 1,407 elementary, middle, and high schools in Seoul and 830,000 parents. This emergency school bell issuance is the third, following two previous issuances during the "Gangnam academy district drug and food incident."
Meanwhile, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency is making all-out efforts to respond to weapon rampage crimes and plans to conduct strict investigations, including detention, regarding murder threat posts. Additionally, after the start of the school term, crime prevention education related to murder threats will be conducted for youth using School Police Officers (SPOs).
Kim Kwang-ho, Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, stated, "Weapon rampage crimes and the posting of murder threats targeting unspecified many can amplify social anxiety and are serious crimes that directly threaten public safety. Therefore, the police are responding by mobilizing all available personnel."
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