'Seoul Station Weapon Rampage Threat' 30s Male Sentenced to 10 Months in First Trial

Charges of Threatening and Obstructing Official Duties

A man in his 30s who posted a message warning of a "knife rampage at Seoul Station" was sentenced to prison in the first trial.

On the 23rd, Judge Park Seok-geun of the Criminal Division 3 at the Seoul Northern District Court sentenced Bae (33), who was indicted in custody on charges of intimidation and obstruction of official duties, to 10 months in prison.

Bae is accused of posting a message on an online community on May 22 stating, "I will carry out a knife rampage at Seoul Station on the 24th." He is also confirmed to be charged with obstructing police work by causing police officers to be dispatched to the Seoul Station area on the 24th of the same month.

The court stated the sentencing reason, saying, "In a situation where social anxiety has been created due to a stabbing incident near Sillim Station, he wrote a threatening message targeting unspecified many people using Seoul Station, thereby intimidating the victims who saw the post. He obstructed the duties of police officers and Seoul Metro employees, and considering the method of the crime, his culpability is serious."

The court added, "Furthermore, he committed the crime during a recidivism period related to a separate case."

It was confirmed that Bae has a criminal record of more than 10 offenses, having committed several crimes previously.