[Reporter’s Notebook] Terror Threats Become Online Entertainment

About 4,000 Evacuated After Terror Threat Post on the 5th Afternoon
All Branches Searched on the Morning of the 6th Following Consecutive Threats
Lack of Awareness of Crime Severity... Need for Stronger Social Recognition

The recent bomb threat incident at Shinsegae Department Store, which was ultimately concluded to be a prank by a first-year middle school student, calls for a serious societal discussion on the crime of “public intimidation.” It raises questions about how to address the deviant acts of young people?mainly teenagers or, at most, those in their early twenties?under current law, and what preventive measures are necessary.

Due to this bomb threat incident, Shinsegae Department Store is estimated to have suffered damages amounting to 500 million to 600 million won (based on the average weekday sales at the main branch) over approximately three hours. The threatening message, which read, “Never go to Shinsegae Department Store’s main branch. Explosives have been planted on the first floor and will detonate at 3 p.m.,” led to the evacuation of more than 4,000 people?including customers leisurely enjoying coffee or shopping in the department store’s dining area, as well as store employees. Police officers at the scene set up a police line nearby and blocked access to the building.

The company announced plans for strong legal action. However, it also cautiously indicated that it would be difficult to pursue criminal punishment given the perpetrator’s age as a middle school student. The boy, a first-year middle school student living in Jeju who posted the “bomb threat notice,” falls under the category of a “juvenile subject to protective measures” (between the ages of 10 and 14). During the police investigation, he stated that he had posted the bomb threat as a “prank.”

In March of this year, a new law was enacted stipulating that anyone who threatens to harm the life or physical safety of an unspecified number of people can be sentenced to up to five years in prison or fined up to 20 million won under the crime of “public intimidation.” However, in the four months since the law’s implementation, only four out of 48 people (8.3%) apprehended by the police have been detained. In particular, most underage offenders end up with protective measures under the Juvenile Act rather than facing criminal punishment. This means that, despite the existence of the law, there is effectively no real punishment.

Recently, a comment appeared under a YouTube video stating, “I will blow up Shinsegae at 5 p.m. tomorrow.” Police launched bomb searches at 13 Shinsegae Department Store branches nationwide, including the Hanam and Yongin locations. Two days later, on the morning of the 8th, a post appeared claiming that a bomb had been planted in a game company’s building. All these incidents were carried out by young people who cited “pranks” as their motive.

This series of incidents is related to the phenomenon of “false threats” becoming a form of online entertainment among young people. The fact that juveniles subject to protective measures have never been criminally punished likely underlies this trend.

Of course, strengthening punishment is not the only answer. Nevertheless, it is essential to clearly convey the message that even minors can be held significantly accountable for crimes that cause substantial social harm. Beyond making preventive education for adolescents mandatory in schools and at home, society should consider various measures, such as strengthening civil liability for damages in proportion to the amount of loss incurred.

If the consequences of such pranks are made clear, it will be possible to prevent similar copycat crimes and related damages.