South Korean police officers are reportedly stationed at T1’s offices after their star player, Faker, received targeted death threats online.
T1’s headquarters currently has police stationed in the vicinity as the esports organization reportedly received death threats targeted at their star League of Legends player, Lee “Faker” Sang-Hyeok.
According to a translated report from Yonhap New Agency, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency received a report on August 11 of death threats being made toward the LCK veteran.
The threats were supposedly made on August 10 by a user on the online Korean forum DC Inside. According to the police, the anonymous user threatened to go to T1’s dormitory, where Faker can regularly be found, and “harm him” with a weapon.
지금 기사 때문인진 모르겠는데 경찰차랑 안에 경찰관분들 대기하고 계시네용 ㅠㅠㅠ pic.twitter.com/r2zQTvxscJ
— 호량 (@horrang_dan) August 11, 2023
The threat has resulted in police officers being stationed at T1’s offices to make sure Faker is in a safe condition.
According to the report, police are already planning on arresting the culprit after verifying the author of the threats by tracing their internet address.
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T1 issued a statement on Friday morning confirming that it had reported the incident to the authorities, with police vehicles currently stationed outside the team’s practice facility. “We are actively investigating and responding with a very high priority,” a T1 spokesperson is quoted by Naver as saying.
The LCK has also addressed this matter, vowing to increase security for the remainder of the LCK playoffs and the finals “due to recent increases in violent incidents, including threats of violence.”
The death threats come as mass stabbing attacks are being reported all across the country. South Korean police have arrested dozens of online users posting threats on the internet that specified a time and place for their assaults.
Faker is just coming off a historic victory over KT Rolster in the LCK Summer Split playoffs, which saw T1 secure a guaranteed top-three finish for the split. That match marked a massive victory for the LCK legend, who was freshly returning from an arm injury.
Faker and T1 are scheduled to play the upper bracket final on August 12, competing against the winner of the upper bracket semi-final match between Gen.G and Hanwha Life Esports.