Teenagers nabbed for spreading rumor on flu vaccination

By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- Police said Thursday they have caught two Seoul high
school students for spreading false rumors about vaccinations against Influenza A
(H1N1) through the Internet and cellphone text messages.
One of the students, a freshman, was accused of uploading groundless rumors about
flu vaccination on an Internet web site, claiming all vaccinated people,
particular teens, would die, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
The other student, a high school sophomore, picked up the posting and sent it to
some 30 students via a text message which read "If you get a flu shot, you'll
die. Let's boycott flu vaccines," said the agency, noting the message spread
rapidly in cyberspace thereafter.
Police said they will soon decide whether to take legal action against the two.
Since the first death was reported locally in mid-August, 33 South Koreans have
died from the infection. A total of 205 secondary schools nationwide are
currently closed due to the flu outbreaks.
Blood donation has also been hit by the worsening flu fear, as schools and
military units have increasingly shunned away from group donations, according to
Red Cross officials.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
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