The Korea Herald

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Government worker found dead amid cyberbullying, online threats: report

By Yoon Min-sik

Published : March 6, 2024 - 11:45

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An employee of the Gimpo City Government was found dead Tuesday in what appears to be a suicide, according to South Korean media reports Wednesday. The employee had reportedly been the victim of bullying from an unspecified group of people online.

Kyungin Ilbo reported that the employee's body was found inside a car at a parking lot in Seogu, Incheon, at around noon on Tuesday. The employee did not appear to have left a suicide note.

The government worker had received complaints from citizens concerning the maintenance work of Gimpohangang-ro in the Gyeonggi Province city. In order to fix potholes, the city shut down two of the three lanes on the expressway, leading to traffic jams and complaints from citizens.

The employee, who was part of the team handling the maintenance, had their name, department and phone number revealed via a post on an online community, which resulted in the person being bombarded with complaints and online insults.

The operators of the online community in question have deleted the post containing the victim's personal information and issued a letter apologizing to the victim.

Police plan to launch an investigation into the link between the online complaints and the employee's death.

If you’re thinking about self-harm or suicide, contact the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s helpline at 109, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please request a translator for English-language services.