Residents Evacuated After Homemade Bomb Threat in Seoul

In the early hours of July 21, a resident in his 40s, identified as A, was abruptly awakened and forced to flee his apartment in Sanggum-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul, due to a bomb threat. At around 1:30 AM, police knocked urgently on his door, instructing him and other residents to evacuate immediately as they had received reports of a homemade bomb inside the building. The situation escalated with the deployment of a police SWAT team and an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit, leading to the evacuation of approximately 100 residents to nearby health centers and motels, leaving them anxious throughout the night. A expressed his fear, stating, "There was a bomb just a few floors below us. It’s terrifying to think what could have happened to my family if it had exploded."

The incident follows a disturbing revelation about a 62-year-old man, identified as Jo, who had previously killed his son with a homemade firearm in Songdo, Incheon, and was found to have constructed bombs at his home in Dobong-gu. This has raised significant concerns about the potential threat of homemade explosives in South Korea. Authorities discovered multiple improvised explosive devices (IEDs) made from 1.5-liter bottles containing flammable substances like thinner, along with detergent and milk containers rigged with timer detonators.

During police questioning, Jo admitted to learning how to make bombs and firearms by watching YouTube videos. This alarming reality highlights the risk that ordinary individuals can access information online to create weapons of mass destruction and potentially harm their neighbors.

On July 22, a team from our publication attempted to purchase materials for bomb-making after researching methods on YouTube. Remarkably, it took less than an hour to gather the necessary components from a chemical supply street in Euljiro, Seoul. In South Korea, manufacturing or possessing explosives can lead to a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. Additionally, individuals who post instructions or blueprints for firearms and explosives online can also face legal consequences. However, there are challenges in regulating foreign websites like YouTube, which host such content.