SM Entertainment reports internet user for death threat

Winter of girl group aespa [NEWS1]

SM Entertainment reported an online user to the police for threatening to kill girl group aespa's member Winter at Incheon International Airport on Tuesday.

"We found a post threatening Winter on a website yesterday," the agency said Tuesday. "We filed a report to the police as soon as we found out and pushed for a quick investigation."

The agency also requested additional security when aespa arrived at the airport Tuesday to leave the country to perform at a festival in the United States.

"We called for extra security, and aespa was able to leave Korea safely," SM Entertainment said.

The agency added that the police visited the company's headquarters to examine its security status, adding, "We will always give our best to ensure the safety of our artists."

Earlier this week, an anonymous online post threatened to kill Winter when she arrives at the Incheon International Airport to perform at the Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival, set to take place from Friday through Sunday in San Francisco.

The threat came amid a series of knife attacks and copycat threats made online nationwide that started earlier this month.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]