[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] A woman in her 20s and her cohabiting partner, who forced a fellow alumna from middle school, high school, and university, with whom they also worked, into prostitution over 2,000 times and subjected her to cruel treatment, have been arrested and indicted. The victim ultimately died due to harsh treatment such as cold water baths.
The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office Ansan Branch Trial Division (Chief Prosecutor Min Younghyun) announced on the 3rd that A (26, female) and her cohabiting partner B (27) were arrested and indicted on charges including violation of the Act on the Punishment of Arrangement of Commercial Sex Acts (forcing prostitution), procuring prostitution, confinement resulting in death, and violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes related to Concealment of Criminal Proceeds.
A is accused of forcing her classmate C (26, female) to live near her home in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province, from December 2019 to January of this year, compelling her into prostitution a total of 2,145 times and embezzling approximately 300 million won in proceeds. She is also charged with forcing C to take 3,868 sexually exploitative photos in specific poses.
A and C were friends who had been classmates from middle school through university and had worked together, but after quitting their jobs, they started prostitution together. It was investigated that A, who profited from prostitution at the time, exploited the vulnerable C to intensify the crimes.
In particular, A reportedly threatened C by saying, "There is a prostitution organization behind this," and "If you don't work, you could get hurt," forcing her into prostitution.
Furthermore, A installed a home camera in C’s house and monitored her in real time through a location tracking app. She also ordered C to engage in prostitution 5 to 6 times a day at nearby motels and other places, and if C failed to meet the set amount, A subjected her to cruel acts such as cold water baths in the middle of winter or beatings.
In response, C fled to her hometown last January, but A, along with her cohabiting partner B, brought C back to Seoul and forced her into prostitution again. Subsequently, C was confined in A’s home, suffering from prostitution and cruel treatment, and died from hypothermia while being forced to take a cold water bath.
Initially, the police reported "no special findings" regarding the deceased C’s cellphone. However, the prosecution, suspicious of the case, requested a digital forensic analysis of C’s phone. As a result, conversations in which A forced C into prostitution and sexually exploitative photos were discovered.
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