"Children Kidnapped" False Report... 50s Man Wastes 40 Patrol Cars and 80 Police Officers

Summary Judgment for a Man in His 50s Who Made a False Report

A man in his 50s who made a false report to the police in Daegu, claiming that children had been kidnapped, causing the dispatch of 40 patrol cars and over 80 personnel, was referred to a summary trial.

On the 20th, Daegu Nambu Police Station announced that Mr. A, a man in his 50s, was referred to a summary trial on charges of making a false report (violation of the Minor Offenses Act) after falsely reporting around 6 p.m. the previous day near Seobu Bus Terminal Station in Daegu Nambu that "children were forcibly put into a vehicle and were screaming."

Upon receiving the report, the police responded to the situation as an emergency, deploying 40 patrol cars and over 80 personnel along major roads. However, the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the scene did not confirm the reported incident. Additionally, Mr. A’s statements about the kidnapping location kept changing. Ultimately, the police concluded it was a false report and referred Mr. A to a summary trial, ending the situation within an hour. A summary trial is a simplified procedure for minor offenses (fines under 200,000 KRW, etc.) that does not leave a criminal record.

The police plan to check Mr. A’s criminal record later and, if additional false reporting history is found, to charge him with obstruction of official duties. A police official stated, "False reports are usually classified as minor offenses and often handled through summary trials," adding, "Although no breathalyzer test was conducted, Mr. A appeared to be intoxicated at the time of the report."

Meanwhile, under Article 3, Paragraph 3 of the Minor Offenses Act, anyone who falsely reports a crime or disaster to a public official can be punished with a fine of up to 600,000 KRW, detention, or a penalty. Additionally, the crime of obstruction of official duties by deception under the Criminal Act may also apply. If continuous prank calls obstruct official duties, criminal charges may be filed, resulting in imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of up to 10 million KRW. Furthermore, if the false report causes serious waste of police resources, civil liability for damages cannot be avoided. Starting July 3, under the Act on the Operation and Handling of 112 Reports (the 112 Basic Act), which will be enforced, fines can also be imposed on those who make false reports. The 112 Basic Act stipulates that a fine of up to 5 million KRW may be imposed for making false 112 reports.