Arrested for Posting Threats of Knife Rampage Online
8 Months Imprisonment & 2 Years Probation → 1 Year Imprisonment & 2 Years Probation
A man in his 20s who received a suspended sentence after posting a threat of a violent attack with a weapon online was sentenced to a harsher penalty in the appellate court after posting a review mocking public authority following his detention.
On the 12th, the Criminal Division 2 of Chuncheon District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Young-jin) overturned the original sentence of 8 months imprisonment with 2 years probation for A (26), who was charged with threats and obstruction of official duties by deception, and sentenced him to 1 year imprisonment with 2 years probation. Additionally, the court imposed probation and 200 hours of community service, which were not included in the original sentence.
A was indicted while in custody on charges of causing fear to an unspecified number of people by posting a message titled "I will commit a stabbing" along with pictures of weapons on an online community in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, at 6:56 p.m. last August. It was reported that he told investigators, "Others also posted stabbing threat messages, so I did it for fun."
The first trial showed leniency by giving a suspended sentence, considering that A did not appear to have the intention to carry out the actual crime.
After being released, A posted a message titled "I will write a detention review" on an online community, detailing the process from the incident to the verdict.
In the post, A boasted that he became a "popular guy" after it became known that he was imprisoned for posting a murder threat. He wrote, "'I was detained for 'threats,' so everyone said 'Ah~ a murder threat post,' and I became popular," "I formed a brotherhood with another person who was detained for a murder threat post and was transferred together to the detention center," and "I wrote about six pages of a letter of apology and was released on probation," sharing his detention review.
In response, the prosecution appealed the first trial verdict, citing mockery of public authority. At the time of the appeal, the prosecution stated, "We appealed considering that the crime caused about 20 police officers to be dispatched, obstructing official duties and wasting police resources, and that immediately after being released on probation, he posted a message calling himself a 'popular guy in prison,' mocking public authority." A also appealed, arguing that the original sentence was too harsh.
The appellate court pointed out, "This is a serious violent crime that heightened nationwide anxiety, and posting a stabbing threat message to intimidate many people and cause police resource waste is not a minor offense." It added, "After being released on probation, he did not show remorse but posted detailed descriptions of the process from detention to probation on the same online community, wrote about being called a 'popular guy in prison,' and compared his punishment to that of suspects in similar cases, claiming his punishment was not light."
Regarding the sentencing, the court explained, "We decided to give him a chance to become a healthy member of society," and urged, "Opportunities do not come often, so do not act recklessly, get your act together, and become a healthy member of society."
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