'Public intimidation' suspect in BTS gasoline threat referred to prosecution
Published: 25 Mar. 2026, 18:49
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A police emblem [YONHAP]
A man who posted an online comment threatening to throw gasoline during the recent BTS performance in Gwanghwamun in central Seoul has been referred to prosecutors on charges of public intimidation, according to the Dobong Police Precinct in northern Seoul on Wednesday.
The man is accused of posting a comment on social media last Thursday under a post about traffic control for the BTS performance, saying he would “fill a water bottle with gasoline and throw it.”
Police arrested him at around 1:20 a.m. on Friday, about five hours after receiving a report through the 112 police hotline.
During questioning, the suspect reportedly said he wrote the comment “to attract attention” and had no intention of carrying it out.
However, police said the act was a serious crime that could cause public anxiety and disrupt social safety, and vowed a zero-tolerance response. Authorities sought a detention warrant on Saturday, which was granted the same day.
Meanwhile, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency is operating a task force to respond to threats against the public and high-profile figures. As of Wednesday, authorities are pursuing damage claims in 11 such cases.
Police said the task force will continue to conduct intensive investigations, adding that civil liability will also be pursued in such cases.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM EUN-BIN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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