[AI's Perspective] Is There No Way to Stop 'False Bomb Threat Reports' Nationwide?

Threats Continue at Olympic Park and Shinsegae Department Store
All False Alarms at Gwangju Women's University and Sungshin Women's University in July
Wasted Public Resources, Social Anxiety, and Economic Losses
Advances in Technology Like IP Masking... Legal and Systemic Measures Must Be Strengthened

Reporter: "Why do false bomb threat reports keep recurring?"

ChatGPT: "These crimes are driven by a mix of factors, including the desire of adolescents and young adults to attract attention, imitation psychology, and loopholes in laws and systems."

Across the country, incidents continue to occur in which false threats claiming that explosives have been planted are made against public institutions, schools, department stores, and other multi-use facilities. As thousands of police officers are mobilized in response to bomb threats, this not only wastes public resources but also heightens anxiety among citizens, making it urgent to strengthen legal measures to eradicate such incidents. We asked generative AI ChatGPT about ways to prevent false bomb threat reports.

On the 5th, a threat claiming that an explosive device was planted was posted on an online community regarding the Shinsegae Department Store main branch in Myeongdong, Jung-gu, Seoul. After receiving the report, the police special forces conducted a search and are now moving away. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the police and other authorities on August 10, at around 1:45 p.m. that day, a fax was received by Korea Sports Promotion Foundation inside Olympic Park, claiming that an explosive device had been planted at KSPO Dome.

Due to the bomb threat report, all audience members and event staff present at the scene were evacuated, and no casualties were reported. The police conducted a search but found no explosives.

Previously, on August 5, a first-year middle school student, identified as A (residing in Jeju), was arrested at his home in Jeju City on charges of making a public threat under the Criminal Act.

It was reported that at 12:36 p.m. that day, A posted a message titled "Shinsegae Department Store Bombing Notice" on a board of the online community DC Inside, claiming to have planted an explosive device at the Shinsegae Department Store main branch in Jung-gu, Seoul.

On that day, Namdaemun Police Station evacuated a total of 4,000 people, including customers and staff of the department store, restricted access to the surrounding area, and deployed the police special forces to search inside the department store, but no actual explosives were found.

False bomb threat reports have also been occurring one after another in Gwangju and Jeonnam.

On the 7th, a suspicious report was received that an explosive device was installed at the Lifelong Education Center of Gwangju Women's University in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. The police special forces bomb disposal team is conducting a search. Yonhap News

On July 7, a suspicious report of an explosive device being installed at the Lifelong Education Center of Gwangju Women's University was received by the police. It was reported that a staff member at the Lifelong Education Center immediately contacted the police after checking an email containing threatening messages such as "Dynamite has been installed" and "I will detonate the explosive device."

On the same day, a similar threatening email caused students and faculty to evacuate at Sungshin Women's University, and authorities conducted a search for explosives, resulting in chaos.

More than 300 search personnel, including the bomb disposal unit, police, and military authorities, deployed four detection dogs to thoroughly search campus buildings, but no explosives were found.

In February this year, a bomb threat report was also received at a hotel in Damyang. The police dispatched more than 50 personnel, including special forces, a bomb disposal team, and two detection dogs. Around 10 guests and staff were evacuated, but the search revealed the report to be false.

ChatGPT pointed out, "Last year, out of all false reports made to 112, 1,682 cases resulted in criminal charges, and the number of civil lawsuits increased more than tenfold compared to the previous year." It also stated, "False threats threaten public safety, create social anxiety and fear, cause economic losses, and waste law enforcement resources."

ChatGPT suggested several measures to eradicate false threat reports: ▲ Strengthening criminal and civil liability ▲ Digital ethics education and campaigns ▲ Introducing customized protection and correction systems for adolescents ▲ Refining the reporting system and strengthening initial response manuals.

Furthermore, it explained, "False bomb threats are not just pranks; they are a serious social problem that cause significant harm in terms of public safety, psychology, economy, and law." It added, "Therefore, a comprehensive approach is needed, including stricter punishment, preventive education, a youth protection-centered system, improved reporting manuals, enhanced digital tracking systems, and a stronger role for media platforms."

Additionally, ChatGPT cited the desire of adolescents and young adults to attract attention, as well as loopholes in laws and systems, as reasons for the increase in false bomb threat reports.

ChatGPT said, "Among adolescents and young adults, there may be a psychological motivation to 'get attention' or 'try it as a prank.' Threatening behavior can also be a way to express social isolation or dissatisfaction at school or work." It continued, "Overexposure in the media may have led to a misguided learning effect, where people think, 'If I do this, I will be on the news,' and this can trigger imitation behavior."

It also pointed out, "Recently, technologies such as IP masking and VPNs are being used to make tracking more difficult. For adolescents or those under the age of criminal responsibility, actual punishment is weak, leading to the perception that 'nothing serious will happen even if I do it.' In addition, compensation responsibility is often weaker than the actual damage amount or is shifted to parents, which reduces the effectiveness of legal consequences."