Prosecutors Confirm Identities of Over 20 Victims in ‘Baksa Bang’ Case... Half Are Minors

Prosecutors Confirm Personal Information of Over 20 Victims in 'Baksa Bang' Case
Majority Are Children and Adolescents

On the 25th, as the vehicle carrying Jo Joo-bin (25), the operator of the 'Doctor's Room' who is accused of producing and distributing sexual exploitation materials of women including minors on the internet messenger Telegram, left the Jongno Police Station in Seoul and headed to the prosecution detention center, citizens held a picket protest demanding severe punishment for Jo Joo-bin. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] The prosecution has confirmed the personal information of about 20 victims of the Telegram 'Doctor's Room' operated by Jo Joo-bin (24, in custody). It is known that a significant number of them are minors classified as children and adolescents.

According to the legal community on the 31st, 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) confirmed the personal details of about 20 victims in detail during four rounds of questioning Jo up to that day.

It is known that most of the victims' identities were not identified when the police transferred the case. The police previously announced that there were a total of 74 victims of Jo's crimes, of whom 16 were minors.

The prosecution identified the identities of about 20 victims during supplementary investigations but has not yet directly questioned the victims. Considering the victims' human rights, the prosecution plans not to conduct duplicate investigations but will also consider questioning the victims if necessary to specify charges.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The prosecution is first confirming the details and circumstances of the crimes with Jo based on the victim information identified at the police stage. Jo is known to deny some of the 12 charges against him, including producing and distributing obscene materials under the Youth Protection Act.

Jo was summoned for the fourth time to the prosecution on this day and is being investigated. The prosecution summoned Jo, who is detained at Seoul Detention Center, at 10:15 a.m. and is conducting the investigation in a video recording room.

Jo initially had difficulty appointing a lawyer but managed to submit a notice of lawyer appointment on this day. However, the lawyer did not participate in the morning investigation and will attend from the suspect interrogation scheduled for the afternoon.

The prosecution did not disclose the identity of Jo's lawyer at the lawyer's request for confidentiality. However, it was revealed through media reports that a private lawyer affiliated with a small to medium-sized law firm took the case.

Jo Joo-bin, the main perpetrator of the Nth Room case involving the production and sale of illegal sexual exploitation videos on Telegram, is heading to a transport vehicle on the morning of the 25th at Jongno Police Station in Seoul to be transferred to the prosecution. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

Considering that the detention period is up to 20 days, the prosecution is expected to launch a full-scale, high-intensity investigation. The prosecution is currently reviewing whether to apply the 'criminal organization formation' charge to Jo and his accomplices and whether to confiscate and seize virtual currency received as 'entrance fees.'

Additionally, among the accomplices suspected of involvement in operating the Doctor's Room, those already on trial will be summoned for investigation if additional charges emerge. The prosecution is also reviewing the necessity of further investigation by referring to the records of the 'Watchman' and 'Kelly' cases currently being tried at the Suwon District Court and Chuncheon District Court.

Meanwhile, the prosecution plans to consult with the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to ensure that victims can receive assistance such as public defenders and support for deleting illegal filming materials.

*If you are experiencing difficulties due to illegal filming or distribution of photos or videos, threats using such materials, or sexual harassment in cyberspace, you can receive support from the Women's Emergency Hotline 1366 and the Digital Sex Crime Victim Support Center (02-735-8994).