(LEAD) Man apprehended for bomb hoax call to National Assembly

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES throughout)

SEOUL, Oct. 18 (Yonhap) -- Police apprehended a man in his 50s Monday for making a false threat to blow up the National Assembly.

The man, whose identity was withheld, allegedly called a lawmaker's office earlier in the day to claim he planted an explosive at the assembly complex. He also said he was giving the tip-off only to the office.

Police traced the caller and arrested him on Ganghwa Island off the west coast about an hour later.

After the call, police, rescue workers and a bomb squad searched the complex, but no explosive was found.

The man was quoted by police as saying he made the call "out of sudden anger." He was also found to have no record of entering the complex in the past two weeks, officials said.

Police said they will book him for an investigation.

nyway@yna.co.kr
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