Bomb Threat at Downtown Gwangju Department Store Confirmed as Hoax

Normal Operations Resume at Shinsegae and Lotte Department Stores After Search
Another Bomb Threat Incident Occurs Six Days After Seoul Main Branch Scare

On the morning of August 11, a bomb threat was reported at a downtown department store in Gwangju, but it was later confirmed to be a hoax.

On the 11th, a police special forces detection dog is searching for explosives at a department store in Seo-gu, Gwangju. According to the police, at around 9:30 a.m. that day, a report was received claiming that a bomb had been planted at "Seo-gu Lotte Department Store," leading to the deployment of police special forces to the Lotte Department Store located in Dong-gu and the Shinsegae Department Store in Seo-gu. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the Gwangju police and other authorities, at around 9:30 a.m. that day, a report was received stating, "I will bomb the Lotte Department Store in Seo-gu, Gwangju." The specific time of the alleged bombing was not mentioned.

The police deployed special forces and an explosives disposal unit to the Lotte Department Store Gwangju branch (located in Dong-gu) and the Shinsegae Department Store Gwangju branch (located in Seo-gu). From 9:40 a.m., they controlled access and conducted searches at both locations. At the time of the search, the two department stores had not yet opened to customers, so only employees were evacuated. Officials from the relevant district offices, Dong-gu Office and Seo-gu Office, were also present at the scene to monitor the search situation.

The Shinsegae Department Store Gwangju branch completed its search at 11:46 a.m. and began operations 1 hour and 20 minutes later than its usual opening time. The Lotte Department Store Gwangju branch also opened normally at 12:16 p.m.

Previously, on August 5, a bomb threat was posted regarding the main branch of Shinsegae Department Store in Seoul, leading to the evacuation of about 4,000 people. The middle school student who posted the threat was apprehended in Jeju and is currently under investigation.