On the morning of the 25th, a fax claiming to blow up the Seoul City Hall and elementary schools was received by the police. There have been seven such bomb threats this month alone.
Park Hyun-soo, acting chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, noted at a regular press meeting that the threatening fax impersonating a Japanese lawyer named 'Garasawa Takahiro' revealed that "the number from which the faxes have been sent all month, including today's incident, is the same number."
The Namdaemun Police Station and the Central Police Station reported receiving a fax about an explosive threat from an elementary school in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the morning of that day. The threatening fax stated in Japanese and English that it would carry out suicide bombings at the Seoul City Hall and several local elementary schools and children's facilities.
The police, viewing this as a series of threats impersonating a Japanese lawyer, increased patrols by sending nearby district units. On the 10th of this month, there was also a threat claiming to have planted explosives at the KSPO Dome in Songpa-gu, Seoul, where an idol concert was scheduled, causing the concert to start two hours late.
Threats in the name of a Japanese lawyer began in August 2023, with a total of 48 cases reported as of that day, including 19 emails and 29 faxes. This month alone, seven cases have been reported, including one email and six faxes. Since all the faxes came from the same number, the police believe it to be the work of the same individual.
Acting Chief Park stated, "The Cyber Investigation Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has been combining and investigating 48 cases under the name of a Japanese lawyer since August 2023."
The police are currently collaborating internationally with Japan and a third country used as a relay for faxes to track the sender; however, there has been no significant progress.