Shohei Ohtani was the target of a bomb threat that is being viewed as a hoax after authorities could not locate any explosives at Seoul's Gocheok Sky Dome, the location of Wednesday's MLB season opener between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres, according to a major South Korean news agency.
The search of the stadium, which included 150 police officers, bomb-sniffing dogs and X-ray detectors, canvassed the 16,744-seat arena, however no suspicious objects were found, said Seoul police in a statement that was also reported by the Associated Press.
The search began Wednesday morning in Seoul following South Korea's consulate general in Vancouver receiving an email that said an explosive device would be detonated at the stadium during the game, according to the Yonhap News Agency. Wednesday's game is scheduled to start at 6:05 a.m. ET, and is the first of two contests between the Dodgers and the Padres. Dubbed the Seoul Series, it marks the first time MLB has held regular season games in South Korea.
Yonhap also said that the sender of the email, which was in English, professed to be a Japanese lawyer. The news agency reported that police believe the source of the threat may be someone who has sent multiple threats by email and fax last year.
"The safety and security of our fans and everyone in the ballparks where we play are always our first priority," MLB said in a statement sent to the Los Angeles Times. "MLB, along with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and other local officials, will continue to monitor the situation closely and take any appropriate steps throughout the event."
The series will be Ohtani's official debut with the Dodgers, who in December signed the two-time MVP to a unique 10-year, $700 million contract, the largest in MLB history. Last month, the 29-year-old announced that he had recently gotten married, and last week it was revealed that his wife had formerly played professional basketball in Japan.
