Two students lit a match to a pile of firewood on the playground and hesitated over who would put the butane inside. A boy with an anxious face finally placed the butane in the middle of the firewood and ran away. Then, the two kept an eye on their concoction. In less than five seconds, the firewood exploded -- called a “butane rocket.”

This is one of the bomb-making videos that can be easily found on video websites. The video shows how to make a butane bomb with simple materials -- wood, paper and butane -- that can be purchased at any supermarket.

Concerns are rising over children’s exposure to online bomb contents, after a teenager exploded a self-made bomb at a school last week.

The 15-year-old student in Seoul surnamed Lee was arrested Wednesday on charges of setting off a small butane bomb in a classroom of his former school. No causalities were confirmed as students of the classroom were participating in the physical education class outside.  

Lee is suspected of putting butane on paper that he set alight. The self-made bomb destroyed one side of the wall, windows and doors, causing over 10 million won ($8,300) in losses. He spread the video that he recorded showing the whole process online.

Lee testified that he had planned the explosion after learning bomb-making methods through YouTube, the police said. While a probe is underway, he reportedly had psychological issues, they added.

Getting information about homemade bombs is not difficult for young people. With just a quick search, children can easily learn online how to make bombs with simple and cheap materials.

On video websites such as YouTube, anyone can learn how to easily make small bombs, such as dry ice bombs, soda bombs and butane bombs. Soda bombs refer to those made with soda and candy.

On blogs, pictures and specific instructions are displayed for the whole process of making flamethrowers and bombs.

“The attention to such harmful contents can mislead the underage to commit a crime by stimulating ‘heroism.’ It can lead them to try something that most wouldn’t attempt,” said psychologist Kwak Keun-joo at Seoul National University.

As part of the efforts to reduce the potentially harmful online contents, Korea Communications Standards Commission, the state-run body in charge of controlling TV and digital content, has controlled online content and blocked illegal and harmful information.

Despite the government’s move, more and more bomb-related information is reachable through websites and mobile applications.

From January to August this year, the agency found and blocked 187 instances of producing illegal weapons or bombs. The number is nearly double last year’s figure, according to the agency.

While the exposure to such information draws public concern, completely blocking the information is nearly impossible, experts said.

“It is indeed a problem, but the free flow of information cannot be restricted in a democratic society. It’s needs social consensus to do so, and even if the contents are somehow restricted, people can still find the information on foreign websites,” said sociological criminology professor Park Cheong-sun at Korean National Police University.

While public education and tighter monitoring over the exposure to harmful materials are necessary, paying attention to the teenagers interested in such information is more important, experts said.

“The common psychological state of those students like Lee is that they want to show and boost their self-esteem by bragging about their power. In the adolescent period, many especially tend to experience the fall of their self-esteem over trivial matters,” Park said.

“Students need to have more opportunities to participate in diverse activities both at school and home so that they can raise their self-esteem in productive ways.” 

By Lee Hyun-jeong (rene@heraldcorp.com)