Man Sentenced to Probation for Posting False Bomb Threat Against Department Store

A man in his twenties has been sentenced to probation for posting a false bomb threat online that led to a significant police response.

The Jinju branch of the Changwon District Court, presided over by Judge Jang Min-seok, sentenced the man, identified as A, to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, on charges of obstructing public duty through deception.

A was prosecuted for posting a message online in August 2022, claiming he would bomb the Shinsegae Department Store. Following the threat, a large police force, including a special police unit, was deployed to search for explosives in the area, causing major disruptions to the store's operations.

The court noted, "The defendant's reckless actions resulted in the waste of significant public resources and disrupted the store's business operations. The impact on the general public, who experienced serious anxiety and fear, is considerable, and thus the offense is not minor."

However, the court also considered that A acknowledged his wrongdoing and showed remorse, having deleted the post himself. Additionally, he had already compensated for the damages in a prior civil lawsuit and had no previous criminal record, which influenced the sentencing decision.

Prior to this criminal trial, A lost a civil lawsuit filed by the state for damages, resulting in a court ruling that he must pay the full amount of 12,567,881 won sought by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

The court recognized all costs incurred by the police, including personnel expenses, overtime pay, fuel costs for vehicles, and meal expenses, as losses to the national treasury. This ruling marks the first case where a perpetrator is required to compensate for all public safety administrative costs arising from a false online terror threat.