"I will kill people" Posting false messages will lead to compensation... First civil liability ruling for 'murder notice'

[Financial News] A court has ruled that a poster who uploaded a 'false murder notice' claiming to kill women at Sillim Station in 2023 must compensate the government. This is the first ruling in the government's lawsuit for damages against the poster of the murder notice.
Seoul Central District Court Civil Division 93 Judge Jo Jeong-min ruled on the 19th that "Mr. Choi must compensate the government over 43 million won" in the lawsuit filed by the government against Mr. Choi for damages. This was the full amount claimed by the government.
Mr. Choi was indicted for obstructing police work by posting a message on an internet community in July 2023 saying, "I am standing with a knife at Sillim Station. I will start killing people now," which led to about 20 police officers being dispatched to the scene.
At that time, incidents of knife rampages occurred at Sillim Station and Seohyeon Station, and subsequent 'murder notice' posts caused social unrest.
In response, the Ministry of Justice claimed damages, stating that "a total of 703 police forces, including the Cyber Investigation Team and the Police Mobile Unit, were mobilized from the 112 report reception to the arrest, wasting over 43 million won of taxpayer money."
Meanwhile, Mr. Choi was found guilty in a criminal trial and was sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year probation.

jisseo@fnnews.com Seo Min-ji Reporter