Law enforcement authorities in Seoul have actively pursued the source of a bomb threat aimed at disrupting the opening game of the 2024 U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) season at Gocheok Sky Dome. The game — notable for being the first MLB game ever hosted in South Korea — featured a face-off between the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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The threat, received via email early in the morning, specifically targeted the game with the intent to harm MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani, among others. The communication was in English, with the sender alleging to be a Japanese lawyer. This detail has prompted officials to explore the possibility of the message originating from Japan.

Shohei Ohtani

The nature of the threat bears resemblance to similar incidents from the previous year, where a series of email and fax threats were sent from Japan by an individual also claiming to be a Japanese lawyer. These previous threats shared similarities in both their format and content with the recent bomb scare, raising suspicions of a common perpetrator.

In response to the threat, a substantial security deployment was made at the Gocheok Sky Dome, including 30 commandos and an additional 120 personnel tasked with thoroughly searching the venue. Despite the rigorous search employing sniffer dogs, X-ray detectors, and other sophisticated equipment, the police have not uncovered any explosives or suspicious objects within the stadium.

The heightened security measures also led to more stringent checks at stadium entrances, with officials and media members undergoing verification to match faces with the credentials presented, following incidents of credential misuse in the past.

Despite the initial concern, the game’s managers from both participating teams expressed their trust in the security measures in place and the information provided by MLB, emphasizing their focus on the game itself. The police’s investigation into the source of the threat continues, aiming to prevent any future incidents and ensure the safety of all participants and spectators at such high-profile events.