80 More Digital Sex Crime Suspects Including 'Telegram N-Bang' Arrested in One Week

Police Arrest 223, Detain 32
Civil Groups Play Major Role... 100 Caught Possessing Obscene Materials
'Jagyeongdan' Self-Proclaimed Sexual Exploitation Chatroom Designated for Responsible Investigation Officer

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@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The police have arrested an additional 80 people on charges of producing and distributing sexual exploitation materials on Telegram and other digital sex crimes.

As of the 9th, the National Police Agency announced that a total of 223 people related to digital sex crimes have been arrested, with 32 of them detained. This is an increase of 83 arrests within a week from 140 people (23 detained) as of the 2nd.

Among those arrested were 56 operators who produced and distributed sexual exploitation materials, including Jo Joo-bin (24, detained), the operator of the Telegram Nth Room. Additionally, 64 people were charged with distributing these materials, and 100 were arrested for possessing sexual exploitation materials. Police are also investigating 117 cases of illegal recordings, such as photo manipulations known as 'Jiin Neungyok' and hidden bathroom cameras. The police plan to decide whether to disclose the identities of these digital sex offenders, excluding minors, based on the severity of their crimes.

Civil society groups played a significant role in these arrests. One civic group reported 114 Discord channels distributing child sexual exploitation materials, leading to the arrest of 10 people, including 3 channel operators and 7 sellers. Five Discord channels were shut down. The seized child sexual exploitation materials amounted to 15,600 items (225GB). Another civic group helped by reporting suspects distributing child sexual exploitation materials via social networking services (SNS), aiding in the arrest and detention of suspects who sold 2,608 obscene materials to 20 people.

So far, the police have forwarded 34 out of 274 digital sex crime cases to the prosecution and continue investigations into the Telegram Doctor's Room and Project Nth Room. They are also focusing on capturing 'GodGod,' considered the originator of sexual exploitation material transactions on Telegram's Nth Room. Furthermore, the police have designated responsible investigative agencies to conduct full-scale investigations into the so-called 'vigilante groups' that have been publicly revealing the identities of sexual exploitation perpetrators on Telegram.