Seoul, South Korea – South Korean police have apprehended a suspect who posted online threats suggesting an attack on the family of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, around the time of his son’s upcoming wedding.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Seoul Seongbuk Police Station arrested the suspect, identified only as A, on June 11th, on charges of threatening the public. The suspect, a man in his 50s, allegedly posted messages on social media implying an attack on Lee Jae-myung’s family, specifically referencing his son Lee Dong-ho’s wedding scheduled for this weekend.
The post, which included the hashtag eliminate at once, reportedly stated that the suspect could obtain license plate numbers of vehicles entering and exiting the wedding venue. The post also included a map screenshot of the wedding location and mentioned the wedding date.
During the investigation, the suspect confessed to posting the messages but claimed to have no intention of carrying out the threatened attack. However, police officials emphasized that posting threatening messages constitutes a crime, regardless of the suspect’s actual intentions.
Even if the suspect had no intention of actually committing the crime, uploading threatening posts is a criminal act in itself, a police official stated. We will thoroughly investigate and severely punish the suspect.
The arrest comes amid heightened political tensions in South Korea. Lee Jae-myung, a prominent figure in South Korean politics, narrowly lost the presidential election in 2022 to current President Yoon Suk-yeol.
This incident underscores the growing concern over online threats and their potential to incite violence, particularly against public figures. The South Korean police have vowed to take a firm stance against such threats and ensure the safety of all citizens.
References:
- Yonhap News Agency. (2024, June 12). 韩警方抓获发帖暗示袭击李在明家人的嫌疑人 [South Korean Police Arrest Suspect for Threatening Attack on Lee Jae-myung’s Family]. Retrieved from [Insert URL of Yonhap News Article Here – As I don’t have live web access, I can’t provide the actual URL].
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