Man posts murder threat of children, women
Suspect of online murder threat against 5 girls believed to have posted number of other threats, and allegedly possessed child pornography
Seoul police recently handed over to prosecutors the criminal case of a 28-year man, who is accused of posting multiple threats of attacks against elementary school students and women in a number of locations across the country.
The suspect in December claimed on an online community that he will go to a Seoul-based elementary school and "murder them all," posting names of the five female students there and a picture of a weapon. They were found to be a girl who the suspect made an unwanted advance to via social media, and her friends.
It was reported that the suspect made a demand for videos and photos of the girl to her and her friends, which they declined and told her to stay away.
A police investigation revealed other murder and terrorism threats posted by the man, which included those targetting women at locations in Seoul, Busan, and Bucheon of Gyeonggi Province. He also claimed to have planted a bomb at the Kintex convention center in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, and vowed to set the Constitutional Court on fire.
It is also believed that he had owned and distributed child pornography.
Officials caught the suspect in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province on June 16, and placed him under detention two days later. No evidence has been found as of yet indicating that he took any steps to carry out the attacks.
When approached by reporters outside of the Seoul Jungnang Police Station on Monday and asked if he had actually planned to plant the bomb or murder people, he answered "No," and said he was "sorry" for posting the threatening posts.
The suspect is currently facing criminal charges including violation of the Child Welfare Act, Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse. He is also being charged with obstructing performance of of official duties by fraudulent means, as his online threats hindered the duties of police officials.
Police said that it will continue investigating some of the charges, particularly one related to his alleged possession and distribution of child pornography.
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Korea Herald
14 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Man posts murder threat of children, women
Suspect of online murder threat against 5 girls believed to have posted number of other threats, and allegedly possessed child pornography Seoul police recently handed over to prosecutors the criminal case of a 28-year man, who is accused of posting multiple threats of attacks against elementary school students and women in a number of locations across the country. The suspect in December claimed on an online community that he will go to a Seoul-based elementary school and "murder them all," posting names of the five female students there and a picture of a weapon. They were found to be a girl who the suspect made an unwanted advance to via social media, and her friends. It was reported that the suspect made a demand for videos and photos of the girl to her and her friends, which they declined and told her to stay away. A police investigation revealed other murder and terrorism threats posted by the man, which included those targetting women at locations in Seoul, Busan, and Bucheon of Gyeonggi Province. He also claimed to have planted a bomb at the Kintex convention center in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, and vowed to set the Constitutional Court on fire. It is also believed that he had owned and distributed child pornography. Officials caught the suspect in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province on June 16, and placed him under detention two days later. No evidence has been found as of yet indicating that he took any steps to carry out the attacks. When approached by reporters outside of the Seoul Jungnang Police Station on Monday and asked if he had actually planned to plant the bomb or murder people, he answered "No," and said he was "sorry" for posting the threatening posts. The suspect is currently facing criminal charges including violation of the Child Welfare Act, Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse. He is also being charged with obstructing performance of of official duties by fraudulent means, as his online threats hindered the duties of police officials. Police said that it will continue investigating some of the charges, particularly one related to his alleged possession and distribution of child pornography.
Korea Herald
3 days ago
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What to expect from three special probes targeting Yoon, wife
South Korea is set to begin an unprecedented trio of special counsel investigations into former President Yoon Suk Yeol, his wife Kim Keon Hee, and the death of a Marine during Yoon's term. With President Lee Jae Myung's approval of three special counsel bills on June 10, the probes mark a significant escalation in efforts to address allegations that the previous administration was shielded from scrutiny. Led by special prosecutors Cho Eun-suk, Min Joong-ki and Lee Myeong-hyeon, the probes are slated to begin as early as July after a mandatory 20-day preparation period ends on June 30. Nearly 600 personnel, including some 120 prosecutors, will be mobilized, making it the largest special counsel operation in South Korean history. While the prosecution and police previously conducted investigations into the same matters, critics, including then-opposition Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers, accused those probes of being superficial and biased in favor of the former presidential couple. Those earlier efforts took place when Yoon was suspended from duty but still in office, pending a Constitutional Court ruling. Unlike those probes, the special counsels operate independently from existing law enforcement and are designed to minimize political interference, aiming to restore public trust in state institutions. President Lee has framed the launch of the special counsels as a response to public demand for accountability and a reaffirmation of constitutional principles. The triple probes could reshape South Korea's political landscape, potentially deepening partisan divides or prompting broader legal and institutional reforms, depending on their outcomes. With the official launch of the special prosecutor investigation, previously separate investigations by the prosecution, police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials will be consolidated under a single investigative body. The three, citing their respective jurisdictions, once vied for control over the investigation into Yoon after his martial law declaration in December 2024. Though a joint investigative team was formed among the CIO, the Korean National Police Agency's National Office of Investigation, and the Defense Ministry, the prosecution was excluded. This divide drew criticism from many people, citing a lack of credibility and fairness. It was also considered to have provided Yoon with the grounds to reject interrogation by the CIO, and led to confusion between the prosecution and the CIO when calculating the then president's detention period, according to Lee Yun-je, a law professor at Myongji University. 'The special counsel bill allows the investigation team to bring all investigation records and evidence together in one place. 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Chae Su-geun, will conduct their investigation in the single investigative body as well. Public access to probes Regular briefings on the investigation process will also be held. According to the Special Prosecutor Act, for the investigations of Yoon and his wife, the special prosecutor or assistant special prosecutor 'may brief the media on the investigation, excluding the details of the charges, to ensure the public's right to know." This will enable the special prosecutor teams to share the outcomes of certain case proceedings with the public, including summonses, searches and seizures, warrant requests, and others, similarly to the independent counsel probe into former President Park Geun-hye and her confidante Choi Soon-sil in 2016. The Seoul Central District Court originally held Yoon's criminal trial hearings behind closed doors, citing Article 57 of the Court Organization Act. This stipulates that hearings may be closed to the public by court decision if there is 'concern that they could compromise national security, public order or violate good morals.' However, the Special Prosecutor Act mandates that the trials and hearings for related cases must be public. It states that live broadcasting is permitted if a request is made by the special prosecutor or the defendant, unless there are special circumstances as well. All three special prosecutor bills stipulate that the cases, which were indicted or set to be taken over by the special counsels for continued prosecution, will proceed in non-military courts. This means that the criminal trials of high-ranking military officials on insurrection charges, which were previously held in military courts, will now be conducted in the district courts. Meanwhile, Yoon's criminal trial, which is currently being heard at the Seoul Central District Court, could be transferred to a different court. 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While the prosecution and police previously conducted investigations into the same matters, critics, including then-opposition Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers, accused those probes of being superficial and biased in favor of the former presidential couple. Those earlier efforts took place when Yoon was suspended from duty but still held office, pending a Constitutional Court ruling. Unlike those probes, the special counsels operate independently from existing law enforcement and are designed to minimize political interference, aiming to restore public trust in state institutions. President Lee has framed the launch of the special counsels as a response to public demand for accountability and a reaffirmation of constitutional principles. The triple probes could reshape South Korea's political landscape, potentially deepening partisan divides or prompting broader legal and institutional reforms, depending on their outcomes. With the official launch of the special prosecutor investigation, previously separate investigations by the prosecution, police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials will be consolidated under a single investigative body. The three, citing their respective jurisdictions, once vied for control over the investigation into Yoon after his martial law declaration in December 2024. Though a joint investigative team was formed among the CIO, the Korean National Police Agency's National Office of Investigation, and the Defense Ministry, the prosecution was excluded. This divide drew criticism from many people, citing a lack of credibility and fairness. It was also considered to have provided Yoon with the grounds to reject interrogation by the CIO, and led to confusion between the prosecution and the CIO when calculating the then president's detention period, according to Lee Yun-je, a law professor at Myongji University. 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