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Police investigate threat to blow up Lotte World, Everland theme parks

Published: 15 Oct. 2025, 18:35

Visitors wait to enter the “KPop Demon Hunters” theme zone at Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi, on Sept. 30. [YONHAP]

Police are investigating after a text message threatened to blow up Korea’s two biggest theme parks — Lotte World and Everland — unless a ransom of 100 million won ($70,000) was paid.

According to Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday, police received a report around 12:10 p.m. the same day stating that a text message had been sent claiming that explosive devices had been planted at Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi, and that Lotte World in Songpa District, southern Seoul, would also be blown up if the money was not transferred by 2 p.m. The message included a bank account number.

Police did not disclose the identity of the person who reported the threat.

Police, working with firefighters, conducted a search in and around Everland, while Songpa Police Precinct officers inspected Lotte World for about 30 minutes but found no explosives.

Authorities judged the threat to be a hoax and did not evacuate visitors from either park.

Police are continuing to trace the sender of the threatening text message and investigate the circumstances of the case.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]