'Kkokkomu' Incheon Gosiwon Bomb Threat Case: Who Is the Person in the 'Blue Jumper' Who Opened the Heart of the Threatener?

There was someone who tried to open the heart of another at the very threshold of death.

In the broadcast of SBS's 'The Story of the Day Biting Its Tail' (hereinafter 'Kkokkomu') on June 18, the episode subtitled 'At the Threshold of Death' shed light on those who strove to open the heart of a bomb threatener, Mr. Lee.

In 2022, a call came into the 112 emergency line in Incheon. A man threatened to blow up the gosiwon (studio apartment building) he was in, shouting, "There are so many explosives here! There are nine gas canisters and a lot of gasoline! I feel so wronged that I want to blow everything up!"

If an explosion were to occur as he threatened, it was expected to cause massive casualties in addition to the perpetrator. Thus, an operation to save everyone began.

Detective Lim, a negotiator wearing a blue jumper, was dispatched to the scene to negotiate with the threatener. Arriving with the determination to resolve the incident without any casualties, would he be able to open the firmly shut door of the gosiwon?

The threatener, Mr. Lee, was a 52-year-old gosiwon manager with a lengthy criminal record. He demanded that the police arrest and investigate his friend, whom he accused of stealing 800 million won in relocation costs and compensation received for selling the gosiwon.

Lee claimed that 10 years ago, he lent the deed of the gosiwon he ran to his friend, who then sold it when a construction company offered to buy it for redevelopment. However, verification revealed this claim to be completely groundless. His friend had acquired the gosiwon, which used to belong to Lee, through a legitimate transaction and had merely entrusted Lee with its management.

However, Lee was not alone; he staged the sit-in along with two men and one woman who lived in the gosiwon. Consequently, Lee guarded one entrance of the gosiwon while the other three guarded the other.

Taking advantage of a moment when Lee was away, the negotiator attempted to negotiate with the other three. By speaking to their hearts, he succeeded in opening the minds of two of them. The police then carefully entered the gosiwon to rescue the remaining person, an elderly woman named Ms. Noh. However, Lee suddenly appeared, flew into a rage, and threatened them by opening a gas valve, forcing the police to retreat after rescuing only the two men.

The three residents, who had nowhere to go due to the demolition of the gosiwon, had joined the sit-in because Lee promised to get them 10 million won each in relocation costs.

With the two men rescued, only Ms. Noh and Lee remained in the gosiwon. The police attempted a forced entry, but they were forced to turn back due to Lee's violent resistance.

Ultimately, the negotiators headed back to the gosiwon. At that moment, they could not hide their shock at the video and photos Lee had sent to the police. His claim of having nine gas canisters and gasoline was not a lie.

The police analyzed the estimated damage radius. With predictions that the building itself could collapse and damage could extend up to a 2 km radius, they sought to resolve the incident as quickly as possible.

However, a whole week passed, and negotiations with Lee continued. Detective Lim succeeded in building rapport with Lee and getting him to open one door. Yet, a wall still stood between Lee and him.

But then, Lee asked Detective Lim to play a song he wanted to hear. Lee requested the song "In Front of That House" by singer Lee Jae-sung. He listened to the song with Detective Lim in the darkness. As the song neared its end, Detective Lim's anxiety mounted. However, the moment the song finished, Lee said, "I enjoyed it, thank you."

He then told Detective Lim cryptically, "Don't you come, brother. I was planning to take a few people with me, but you shouldn't come."

On the 12th day of negotiations, with both sidewalks and roads blocked, public frustration grew. On the 13th day of negotiations, Lee contacted them, saying he thought Ms. Noh was suffering from gas poisoning. The police attempted to enter the gosiwon again with paramedics, but Lee resisted violently, saying he could not trust them.

Negotiator Detective Lim stepped up once more. He went up with a female paramedic and an undercover female detective from the violent crimes unit to persuade Lee. However, despite knowing Ms. Noh's critical condition, Lee ultimately refused to open the door.

However, there was a breakthrough. In the process of checking on Ms. Noh's condition, they pinpointed the exact location of the gas canisters. The gas canisters and gasoline were in Room 606 of the gosiwon, along with Ms. Noh. Consequently, the police carefully prepared for a raid.

A few days later, Lee called Detective Lim, saying, "I called because I wanted to hear your voice one last time. I'm going to end it here. I'm planning to take a few guys with me." Detective Lim continued to persuade Lee, who was hinting at a murder-suicide.

On the 25th day of negotiations, Lee resisted violently by spraying a fire extinguisher at the police who were attempting another raid. However, the police could no longer delay and pushed forward with the operation despite his fierce resistance.

At that moment, Detective Lim called Lee again. However, no matter how many times he called, Lee stopped answering at some point.

Detective Lim thought, "Is he luring us in?" remembering Lee's earlier words, "I'm taking a few guys with me."

Ultimately, negotiations were called off, and a forced entry began. Police officers and firefighters initiated the raid knowing they could die. As they sprayed water and forced open the tightly shut door, they found Lee and Ms. Noh lying dead inside the room. Notably, a gas canister and a torch were found next to Lee's body.

Although a major disaster was averted, the case ended without saving Lee and Ms. Noh. Upon hearing of their deaths, Detective Lim confessed that he wept from the shock at the time, saying, "They died, it's over, what is this? No one who hasn't experienced it can understand that feeling."

He also expressed heartbreaking guilt over failing to save everyone, saying, "If I had continued the conversation in a different way back then, wouldn't the two of them still be alive and breathing with us today?"

For Detective Lim, who had successfully resolved 36 out of 37 crisis negotiations, the words he usually heard from those in crisis were, "Thank you for saving my life."

After their deaths, the gosiwon building was demolished, and a new building was erected in its place. Over time, the incident was forgotten. The broadcast expressed hope that people would not forget those who tried until the very end to open that tightly closed door.

Lastly, the negotiators urged, "When negotiating in a crisis, the surrounding environment is crucial. We ask that people view it not as a spectacle but as a situation where they need to help, allowing us to focus on the dialogue. With the mindset of saving lives, please refrain from actions that disrupt the conversation."

Edited by Kim Hyo-jung | SBS Entertainment News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.