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'Nearly one every two days': Even with new law, bomb threats still rising

Published: 18 Nov. 2025, 14:35 Updated: 18 Nov. 2025, 17:20

Special police forces and detention dogs search a school in Nam District, Daegu, on Nov. 10, just three days before the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test, following a report claiming that a homemade explosive was planted on the site. [NEWS1]

A bomb threat reported at Jeungsan Station on Seoul Metro’s Line No. 6 turned out to be a hoax made by a man in his 20s, police said Monday. Despite the introduction of a new law aimed at curbing threats to public safety and repeated warnings from authorities, bomb hoaxes targeting crowded areas and prominent figures continue to rise. Police plan to respond more aggressively by launching a dedicated investigation team.

A 112 emergency call was made at around 4 p.m. on Sunday claiming that the caller planted a bomb at the station. They added that they were in front of a hospital, according to police.

The Seobu Police Precinct dispatched an incident commander, a rapid response team and violent crime investigators to the scene. They searched the station for about 90 minutes but found no explosives. Investigators later confirmed that the caller was a man in his late 20s who was hospitalized at a psychiatric facility at the time.

Threats involving explosives at crowded locations show no sign of stopping. On Wednesday, just a day before the College Scholastic Ability Test, a middle school student posted an online message claiming to have planted a bomb at a test site in South Gyeongsang.

On Nov. 10, another post appeared on the National Police Agency’s online tip board claiming a bomb had been planted at the presidential office.

“There have been seven bomb threats in November so far, targeting department stores, subway stations and the presidential office,” a Seoul police official said. “That’s nearly one every two days.”

Concertgoers enter the KSPO Dome in southern Seoul after officials search the venue for possible explosives on Aug. 10. [NEWS1]

Since the Jeungsan Station threat was made by phone, the suspect could face charges of obstruction of official duties, along with a fine for making a false report. If such threats are made publicly or online, however, they can be punished under the newly established “public intimidation” law.

Passed in March, the law makes it a crime to publicly threaten harm to a large number of people, even if no actual damage occurs. Offenders face up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won ($13,600). The new statute was introduced in response to criticism that charging suspects only with obstruction of official duties resulted in overly lenient punishments and failed to serve as an effective deterrent.

But even with the new law, critics say enforcement remains weak. Between March 18 and Oct. 31, police arrested just eight out of 101 people charged with public intimidation, according to the National Police Agency.

These hoaxes also result in a major waste of public resources. Police say responding to a single bomb threat often requires 50 to 100 officers. According to Democratic Party lawmaker Yang Bu-nam, the police filed three civil lawsuits against suspects in 2023, seeking damages of up to 43.7 million won.

The cost per officer dispatched was estimated at 61,600 won, including overtime pay and fuel. Based on those figures, each bomb hoax could cost the city between 3 million and 6 million won. The actual losses could be far greater when considering that officers are unable to respond to other duties while handling these threats.

To respond more forcefully, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency plans to set up a special unit within its Provincial Special Detective Corps. The unit will also take over an unresolved case involving bomb threats made by someone impersonating a Japanese lawyer.

“We’ve seen several cases where students used virtual private networks [VPN] to post threats,” a police official said. “But even with a VPN, offenders are eventually caught. It’s important to understand that there’s no leniency for this kind of crime.”

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 LEE AH-MI [[email protected]]