Prosecution Conducts Third Interrogation of Jo Joo-bin... Defense Counsel Appointment Still Undecided

Jo Joo-bin, the operator of the 'Doctor's Room' who threatened dozens of women including minors on the internet messenger Telegram and forced them to film obscene materials which were then distributed, is coming out of Jongno Police Station in Seoul on the morning of the 25th to be sent to the prosecution. / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] On the 30th, the prosecution summoned and is investigating Jo Joo-bin (24, in custody), the operator of the Telegram 'Baksa Room.' This is the third investigation of Jo following those on the 26th and 27th.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Digital Sex Crime Special Investigation Task Force (Chief Team Leader Yoo Hyun-jung, Head of the Women and Children Crime Investigation Department) summoned Jo from 2 p.m. and is conducting the investigation. The interrogation is taking place in a video-recorded interrogation room.

The prosecution is focusing on questioning the facts related to the operation of the Telegram 'Baksa Room' and the production·distribution of child and adolescent pornography, as well as the overall criminal process.

This investigation also began without the participation of a defense attorney. Originally, Jo was scheduled to meet a new lawyer at Seoul Detention Center in the morning to appoint legal counsel. However, since the appointment was not finalized, Jo entered the interrogation room alone again. Previously, the law firm Oh Hyun, which represented Jo during the police investigation phase, submitted a letter of withdrawal on the 25th and gave up defending him.

In the previous two investigations, the prosecution mainly confirmed whether Jo admitted to the charges and established basic facts. They also reportedly verified the circumstances and methods of operating the Baksa Room and the roles of key accomplices. Jo did not exercise his right to remain silent in both investigations and is said to have responded relatively diligently to questioning.

Jo Joo-bin, the operator of the 'Doctor's Room' who threatened dozens of women including minors on the internet messenger Telegram and forced them to film obscene materials which he then distributed, is coming out of Jongno Police Station in Seoul on the morning of the 25th to be sent to the prosecution. / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

The prosecution is also examining whether to apply the 'Organizing a Criminal Organization' charge against Jo and his accomplices. They are reviewing whether to confiscate and seize cryptocurrencies received from paid members as 'entrance fees.'

Over the past weekend, the prosecution focused on reviewing investigation records and legal issues without summoning Jo. The investigation records transferred by the police to the prosecution include 38 volumes, totaling 12,000 pages, including supplementary volumes.

The prosecution plans to conduct supplementary investigations on Jo for up to 20 days, including one extension of the detention period, before indicting him.

Jo is accused of luring victims with part-time job offers, obtaining nude photos showing their faces, then threatening them to produce sexual exploitation materials and distributing them in the Baksa Room. On the 25th, the police applied 12 charges against Jo, including violation of the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles Against Sexual Abuse (production of child pornography), violation of the Sexual Violence Punishment Act (filming using cameras, etc.), forcible molestation, threats, coercion, fraud, and violation of the Personal Information Protection Act, and sent him to the prosecution.