"Distorted Attention-Seeking Disorder" Fuels Bomb Threats, Expert Warns
Lenient Punishments Spur Offenders, Calls for Stronger Sanctions
An expert has pointed out that the recent series of bomb threat incidents over the past week stem from a "distorted desire for attention and to assert one's presence." There are also concerns that lenient punishments are encouraging such crimes.
Police who responded to a bomb threat report at Myeongdong Shinsegae Department Store are conducting a search. Photo by Yonhap News
On August 12, Oh Yoonseong, a professor of police administration at Soonchunhyang University, appeared on CBS Radio's "Kim Hyun-jung's News Show" and said, "Bomb threats have the characteristic of instilling fear indiscriminately, which means they have a significant effect in spreading fear among large numbers of people." He added, "It is highly unusual that there have been seven cases in just one week, including the recent incident involving a middle school student in Jeju."
"Distorted Attention-Seeking Disorder Behind Bomb Threats"
Regarding the perpetrators' psychology, he explained, "This is a combination of the third and fourth stages of Maslow's hierarchy of needs?the need for belonging and the need for esteem. The distorted desire to confirm one's presence is at play when they see the world turned upside down and their actions reported in the news after a single phone call." In other words, a form of distorted attention-seeking disorder has emerged.
Professor Oh further criticized, "Even if the police suspect a prank call, they cannot ignore it, so the operations of the local police stations are effectively paralyzed. Moreover, even when offenders are caught, they often receive only a slap on the wrist, which leads criminals to take these offenses lightly."
He emphasized, "Although the penalties for public threats have been increased, the will to enforce them in actual trials is weak. In addition to criminal punishment, there needs to be practical sanctions such as civil claims for damages and stronger joint liability for parents when minors are involved."
Bomb Threats Continue Nationwide... Growing Anxiety
Bomb threats have been occurring across the country since the beginning of this month. The series began on August 5, when a middle school student residing in Jeju posted a threat targeting the main branch of Shinsegae Department Store. Similar threats followed at a shopping mall in Hanam on August 6, a swimming pool in Busan on August 7, and a game company in Seongnam on August 8.
On August 10, a faxed threat claiming that a bomb had been installed at Seoul Olympic Gymnastics Arena was sent under the name of Japanese lawyer "Takahiro Karasawa." This name also appeared in over 40 threat cases in 2023, and police are investigating whether the same individual is responsible or if it is the work of a copycat.
Subsequently, on August 11, a department store in Gwangju was targeted, and on August 12, Seoul Detention Center?where former President Yoon Suk-yeol is currently incarcerated?also received a bomb threat. As bomb threats continue to spread nationwide, there are growing concerns that prolonged threats could intensify social unrest and anxiety.
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