'Nth Room' Jo Joo-bin Tracked, 'Digital Undertaker' Indicted for Aiding Distribution of Obscene Materials

'Digital Jangsa' Park Hyung-jin Requests Advertisement on Korea's Largest Pornographic Site

On the morning of May 26, 2018, at the Mapo Police Station in Seoul, Park Hyung-jin, the head of an internet record deletion company, is responding to reporters' questions as he enters the police station to be investigated as a witness in connection with the sexual harassment and partial nudity photo leak case involving YouTuber Yang Ye-won. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] The CEO of an internet record deletion company has been brought to trial on charges of aiding the distribution of obscene materials by commissioning banner advertisements on the country's largest adult site. The CEO gained media attention for tracking down operator Jo Joo-bin (25, in custody) in connection with the 'Nth Room' case at the request of a victim.

The Criminal Division 2 of the Bucheon Branch of Incheon District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Lee Hyun-jung) announced on the 8th that it has indicted Park Hyung-jin (36), CEO of 'Digital Funeral Director' EasyComs, without detention on charges of violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, etc. (aiding distribution of obscene materials) and violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (filming using cameras, etc.).

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 seen on the morning of the 25th of last month leaving Jongno Police Station in Seoul to be transferred to the prosecution. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

Park is accused of aiding the distribution of obscene materials by paying 6 million won in banner advertising fees to officials of 'Ya○○○', the country's largest adult site at the time with 850,000 members, between March and June 2018.

He is also reported to have requested exclusive rights to delete illegally leaked photos from the adult site officials.

The prosecution judged that Park knowingly aided the distribution of obscene or illegally filmed materials on the site.

At that time, 'Ya○○○' was found to have distributed about 32,000 secretly filmed photos from 154 studios, as well as about 73,000 child and general obscene materials, and 25,000 illegally shared webtoons. The site had an average of about 200,000 daily visitors.

Park operated a digital funeral service company that deletes clients' online information and posts, earning him the nickname 'Digital Funeral Director.'

In an interview with Seoul Economy regarding the prosecution's indictment, CEO Park Hyung-jin explained, "The money was paid only to delete victim videos, not to collude with adult sites or webhards." Regarding the request for advertisements on the adult site, he said, "The victim was in a suicidal crisis, and since the site operator was unresponsive, we placed advertisements for a sports analysis site to create a communication channel."