20-3-2024 (SEOUL) South Korean authorities announced on Wednesday that no explosives were found at Seoul’s Gocheok Sky Dome following a search prompted by a reported bomb threat against Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani.
The Dodgers are currently in the South Korean capital for a series against the San Diego Padres, marking the opening of the Major League Baseball season with games scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.
This is the first time that MLB has launched its regular season in South Korea, with much anticipation surrounding the presence of Japanese sensation Ohtani. In December, the Dodgers signed him to a monumental 10-year contract worth US$700 million, likening him to a contemporary version of baseball legend Babe Ruth.
Officials from Seoul’s Guro district police office confirmed to AFP that special investigators conducted a thorough search of the venue earlier in the day and found no evidence of explosives.
“We received a report about a potential explosive device and conducted a search of the site, but no suspicious items were discovered,” stated official Kim Seung-beom. “We plan to conduct another search before allowing the audience to enter the Sky Dome later, ahead of tonight’s game.”
San Diego Padres manager Mike Schildt expressed confidence in MLB and the security measures in South Korea, stating, “We feel safe, and we haven’t really given it a second thought, quite honestly.”
According to Seoul’s Yonhap news agency, South Korean authorities received a report from an employee at the Consulate General of South Korea in Vancouver, Canada. The report detailed an email threat claiming to detonate a bomb during the Padres and Dodgers game, specifically targeting superstar Shohei Ohtani and others.
Allegedly written by someone claiming to be a Japanese lawyer, the email was composed in English. South Korean authorities are currently investigating to ascertain whether the email originated from Japan.
Ohtani, who earned his second American League Most Valuable Player Award with the Los Angeles Angels last year before becoming a free agent, is revered as a national hero in Japan. His popularity extends to South Korea, where baseball holds significant cultural importance as arguably the nation’s top sport.
