Teenagers Who Made False Bomb Threats Against KT, Kakao Receive Prison and Fine Sentences

Teenagers who repeatedly made false threats to plant explosives at public facilities, including the headquarters of KT and Kakao, as well as Seoul Station, have been sentenced to prison and fines.

The Seongnam Branch of the Suwon District Court sentenced Teenager A, who was indicted under detention on charges including public intimidation, to a term of one year and two months to two years in prison today (June 24).

Meanwhile, Accomplice B, who assisted in the crimes, was fined 8 million won.

The court found all charges against Teenager A to be guilty, stating, "The defendant's crimes made administrative disruptions and gaps inevitable," and added, "It appears that these actions amplified anxiety throughout society," in explaining the reasoning for the sentencing.

Teenager A is accused of making 15 threats of explosive terrorism against public facilities, including the KT and Kakao headquarters, Toss Bank, and Seoul Station, by impersonating others between December of last year and February of this year.

Investigations revealed that Teenager A used a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to bypass security via overseas IP addresses while posting under the names of others. He threatened to blow up the headquarters of the victimized companies or inflict physical harm on their CEOs.

He also demanded that a large sum of approximately 10 billion won be transferred to a specific account.

Accomplice B provided Teenager A with personal information, such as the mobile phone numbers and bank account details of others, which were necessary for the crimes, and abetted the criminal acts.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.