"Bomb Threat at ASEM Tower"... 30s Man Sentenced to Prison Again in 2nd Trial for '112 False Report'

Mr. A, who was charged with falsely reporting the installation of explosives at ASEM Tower in Gangnam-gu, Seoul [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] A man who was prosecuted for falsely reporting that he had planted explosives in ASEM Tower, Samsung-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, was sentenced to prison again in the second trial.

According to the legal community on the 8th, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Appeal Division 9 (Presiding Judge Jang Jaeyoon) sentenced Hong Mo (31), an illegal abortion pill seller prosecuted for obstruction of official duties by deception and violation of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, to one year in prison, stating, "The nature of the crime is not good, and the blameworthiness of the false report is also high," the same as in the first trial.

Earlier, Hong was brought to trial on charges of falsely reporting to 112 on November 20 last year that "explosives were planted in ASEM Tower" and threatening, "If the money is not deposited by Monday, I will detonate the bomb."

At that time, due to Hong's report, about 150 military, police, and firefighting personnel, including the police special forces, were deployed to ASEM Tower, and about 4,000 citizens in the building were urgently evacuated. It was investigated that Hong committed this crime after sending several anonymous letters to the police to slander competing companies, but when the police did not investigate, he committed this act.

The first trial sentenced him to one year in prison, stating, "The degree and result of obstruction of official duties caused by the defendant's false report are serious, and the circumstances leading to the false report are also highly blameworthy."

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