"If You Put a Parking Sticker, I'll Find You"... Apartment in Uproar Over Weapon Threat Note

Car Owner Claims "I Didn't Write the Note"
Police Considering Charges of Public Intimidation

Police have launched an investigation after a threatening note was left at an apartment in Gwangju, warning that the writer would stab someone with a weapon if a parking violation sticker was attached to their car.

The incident came to light on August 7, when a photo of the note was posted on an online community. The attached photo shows a note left on the windshield of a car, stating, "If you put a sticker on my car, I will find you and stab you with a weapon."

A note found in a car parked at an apartment in Hwajeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju. Online community

The person who posted the photo explained, "This message was found on a car at an apartment complex in Seo-gu, Gwangju, with over 2,000 households." They added, "Ground parking is only allowed from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m., but after a violation sticker was attached, someone apparently got angry and wrote this ignorant message." The poster also said, "Residents in the apartment group chat are terrified and in an uproar."

Employees at the apartment management office were also aware of the note but were unable to identify who had left it, and reportedly did not file a separate report.

The matter was later submitted as a complaint to the National Sinmungo civil petition system, and the case was assigned to the Gwangju Seobu Police Station. Police are reportedly considering charges such as public intimidation.

The crime of public intimidation applies when someone threatens to harm the life or physical safety of an unspecified person or group. The law passed the National Assembly in February and has been in effect since March 18. If convicted, the perpetrator can face up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won, regardless of whether actual harm occurred. If deemed a habitual offender, the penalty can be increased to up to seven years and six months in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won.

The police are currently reviewing footage from closed-circuit (CC) TV cameras within the complex to investigate the details of the incident. However, it has been reported that the owner of the car where the note was found claims they did not leave the note themselves.

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