Aespa gets protection from police at Incheon Airport after member Winter received death threats
Security was tightened at the Incheon International Airport after a threat to kill aespa member Winter was posted online.
In photos shared on X, previously Twitter, the members of the K-pop girl group—who were bound for Los Angeles—could be seen being escorted to their boarding gate.
A threat against Winter was posted on the Korean online community DC Inside on August 7. The anonymous user was threatening to hurt Winter in a now-deleted post titled “I will stab and kill aespa’s Winter, who is departing on the 8th.”
The next day, SM Entertainment announced that it had filed charges against the user of the post. The agency also said that they are now coordinating with the authorities and have "requested a speedy investigation."
📰 Fans are trending “PROTECT WINTER” after the aespa member was threatened with violence on airport departure by an anonymous person ‼️#aespa #winter pic.twitter.com/H6HxSrDFz1
— SK POP (@SKPopCulture) August 8, 2023
"Yesterday, a post threatening Winter’s safety was made on an online community. As soon as we confirmed this, we filed a criminal complaint with the police against the writer of the post in question, and we requested a speedy investigation and cooperation," the statement read.
"Additionally, we strengthened our security manpower, and aespa safely departed the country today through the cooperation of bodyguards and the airport police. The police also recently received reports about multiple incidents, so yesterday and today, they came to our company building to check on the security situation and [Winter’s] safety," SM Entertainment added.
"We will continue to do our utmost to protect the safety of our company’s artists in the future as well."
This comes amidst a recent spate of mass stabbings in South Korea. Last Aug. 3, a man drove to the sidewalk in Seongnam, ramming pedestrians. He then got out and started stabbing people, killing one and injuring 12 others.
Another incident followed on Friday after a man stabbed a high school teacher in Daedeok-gu.
Multiple threats were also posted in online communities warning of smilar attacks in crowded places.
Winter and her co-members are now in Los Angeles. They are set to perform at the Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival at the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on August 11.