Four More Suspects Arrested for 'Murder and Weapon Rampage Threats'... Total Now 12

The number of suspects arrested for posting online messages predicting 'murder' or 'weapon rampage' targeting unspecified individuals has increased to 12.

According to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on the 11th, the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office arrested a man in his 30s who predicted murder at Cheongnyangni Station in Seoul the previous day. The Chuncheon District Prosecutors' Office arrested a man in his 20s who predicted a weapon rampage in Chuncheon, and the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office Seongnam Branch arrested a man in his 20s who predicted murder at Seoul Forest Station. Additionally, the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office arrested a man in his early 20s who hinted at a weapon rampage during a personal broadcast in Yongsan, Seoul.

Seoul Seocho-dong Supreme Prosecutors' Office and Central District Prosecutors' Office (center) buildings. Photo by Huh Younghan younghan@

Earlier, on the 9th, the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office arrested a man in his 30s who was wandering near Dongdaegu Station carrying notes about weapons and murder, and the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office arrested a woman in her 30s who predicted killing 20 men at Bundang Seohyeon Station. Two people were arrested on the 8th and 7th respectively, one on the 6th, and one on the 27th of last month.

Since a weapon rampage incident occurred near Sillim Station in Gwanak-gu, Seoul on the 21st of last month, the prosecution and police have been tracking and arresting individuals who posted similar crime threats online, evaluating the specificity and seriousness of the criminal facts to detain them. Charges applied include threats, obstruction of official duties by deception, and attempted murder.

On the 6th, Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok held an emergency meeting at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and instructed, "Apply all possible criminal laws such as attempted murder and obstruction of official duties by deception, in addition to the crime of threats, against online threat posts targeting the general public nationwide. Thoroughly investigate the motives, backgrounds, means, and methods of the crimes and actively consider detention investigations."

The Ministry of Justice is currently promoting legislative amendments to establish punishment provisions for public threats such as murder prediction posts.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.