Bomb threat called in to 2 women's universities

Threatening emails claiming dynamite had been planted at Sungshin Women’s University and Kwangju Women's University prompted police and military units to carry out searches.

Police and military personnel search buildings on Sungshin Women's University's campuses in Seongbuk District, northern Seoul, for explosives after a report was filed on July 7. [YONHAP]

Threatening emails claiming dynamite had been planted at Sungshin Women’s University and Kwangju Women's University prompted police and military units to carry out searches.

“At around 11 p.m. on Friday, an email was sent to a department account within the Center for Teaching and Learning Support from someone claiming to be a member of the group Man of Korea,” Sungshin Women’s University announced Monday.

A staff member checked the email at 10 a.m. on Monday.

“I really hate women — I planted 10 kilograms [22 pounds] of dynamite at the university,” the email read. “It will explode at 3:34 p.m. and kill many women. Women don’t need academics. Power to the voiceless.”

After reading the email, the staff member reported it to the university’s general affairs team, which then called 112.

Upon receiving the report, the Seongbuk Police Precinct in Seoul began searching the Donam Soojung Campus and Mia Woonjung Green Campus of Sungshin Women’s University with 119 emergency services and military units.

Police and military personnel search buildings on Sungshin Women's University's campuses in Seongbuk District, northern Seoul, for explosives after a report was filed on July 7. [YONHAP]

The police dispatched the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit of the special task force to search the campus thoroughly. Bomb-sniffing dogs were also used in the detection process.

The university administration immediately suspended summer session classes in progress on campus and instructed all students to go home.

“At around 4:10 p.m., the search of Donam Soojung Campus was completed and confirmed to be clear,” the university said. “At around 4:50 p.m., the search of Mia Woonjung Green Campus was also completed and found to be clear.”

Police and military personnel search buildings on Sungshin Women's University's campuses in Seongbuk District, northern Seoul, for explosives after a report was filed on July 7. [YONHAP]

A similar incident occurred at Kwangju Women's University. At around 11:30 a.m. the same day, a report was made to 112 claiming a suspected explosive device had been planted at the university’s Lifelong Education Center in Gwangsan District, Gwangju, according to police.

According to the school, an email was sent by someone claiming to be a member of Man of Korea, asserting “women’s education is unnecessary” and threatening to detonate dynamite.

The Gwangju police deployed about 300 personnel, including an EOD unit, along with four bomb detection dogs, to search the premises. No explosives were found.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff. BY SHIN HYE-YEON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]