SEOUL: South Korean police said on Tuesday (Sept 23) that they have arrested a man in his 50s for making nearly 60,000 false reports to the police in less than two years.
Of the 58,307 calls the suspect made to police, 51 were categorised as code 2 or above, which requires immediate police intervention due to the threat of a serious crime.
He is under investigation for obstruction of performance of official duties by fraudulent means, the maximum punishment of which is five years in prison or 10 million won (US$7,000) fine.
In one particular spree, he called the police 1,882 times in four days in May 2024. This was apparently for being disgruntled over an administrative penalty he had been given, which was also for making false reports to the police.
The suspect’s false reports include a claim that he was about to kill his brother, and another one that he is keeping his brother locked up. In another case, he told the police that he was being held against his will, then immediately said “not now”.
When asked how long he had been locked up, he answered: “10 years”.
It was reported that he told the police that the false reports were his habit from living alone, saying that he would call the police whenever he was drunk.
He has been ordered to pay a penalty seven times since 2023, all for false reports. Police said they requested an arrest warrant for his recent crimes, as he refused to comply with summonses. - The Korea Herald/ANN
