Man Must Pay $10,700 for 'Stabbing Threat' at South Korean Station

A man in his 20s has been ordered to pay approximately 14.84 million won (about $10,700) to the South Korean state for posting a false threat of violence online. The individual created a post on an anonymous community website in September, warning of a stabbing incident at Yatap Station in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.

The fabricated threat, titled "I will stab 30 people at Yatap Station and die," claimed the perpetrator would attack friends and acquaintances with a weapon on September 23rd. This post triggered a significant police response, including enhanced patrols, the deployment of special forces, and armored vehicles, with a total of 529 officers mobilized to secure the area around Yatap Station.

Approximately two months after posting the threat, the man was arrested. Investigations revealed that he had posted the message to promote his own anonymous website. The police estimated that his actions resulted in an unnecessary waste of public funds totaling over 55 million won.

In addition to the civil suit for damages, the man faced criminal charges. He was previously tried for intimidation and obstruction of official duties. In February, an appellate court sentenced him to one year in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered him to perform 120 hours of community service.