Kim Hyun-bin began his journalism career at Arirang TV from 2012 to 2017, specializing in defense, foreign affairs and the economy. In 2018, he joined The Korea Times, covering society and business, and is currently responsible for embassy affairs.
YouTuber's grenade claim draws police
By Kim Hyun-bin
By Kim Hyun-bin
A YouTuber falsely claimed to have acquired a grenade following a viewer's request, resulting in military and police officers being dispatched to search his house in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.
According to police and rescue authorities, Friday, the man, 20, called the Ministry of National Defense's public service center at 2:28 p.m. Thursday and said he obtained a grenade and it is in his room on the second floor of his house.
Nearly 50 personnel including a military explosive ordnance disposal team, police and firefighters were dispatched to the caller's house and searched it for 30 minutes, but no grenade was found.
The man turned himself in to police later in the day and confessed he made the false claim after one of his YouTube viewers asked him to “do anything that is related to the military.”
Under the law, a maximum fine of 600,000 won ($528) or up to 30 days of confinement can be given for filing a false report.