Daegum Implements Enhanced Handling Standards for Sexual Exploitation Video Offenders... "All Offenders Involved in Organized Production Arrested"

On the afternoon of the 9th, Kim Gwan-jeong, Chief Prosecutor of the Criminal Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-dong, Seoul, announced strengthened case handling standards for sexual exploitation video offenders. / Photo by Choi Seok-jin

[Asia Economy Reporter Seokjin Choi] From now on, all offenders who systematically produce child sexual exploitation videos will have arrest warrants requested regardless of their level of involvement, and the main perpetrators will face heavy sentences of at least 15 years in prison.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office announced on the 9th that it has established the "Sexual Exploitation Video Offender Case Handling Standards," which significantly strengthen sentencing guidelines compared to the existing Child and Youth Sexual Protection Act, and has begun implementing them at prosecution offices nationwide.

The prosecution has decided to categorize crimes involving the filming or production of sexual exploitation videos through various sexual crimes, assaults, threats, etc., or sharing them in social network service (SNS) chat rooms, such as the so-called "n-beonbang" case, as "sexual exploitation video offenders."

The newly implemented case handling standards for sexual exploitation video offenders distinguish between offenders who produce, distribute, or simply possess sexual exploitation videos and set handling criteria accordingly.

First, the prosecution will arrest all offenders involved in the organized production of sexual exploitation videos regardless of their degree of participation, and the main perpetrators will be sentenced to at least 15 years in prison, with the possibility of life imprisonment, the maximum statutory penalty, depending on the case.

For distribution offenders, if there is a profit motive, all will be arrested and a sentence of at least 7 years will be the principle; in cases causing widespread harm, a sentence of at least 10 years, the maximum statutory penalty, will be sought. General distribution offenders will also face sentences of at least 4 years in prison.

For possession offenders, if they possess videos for commercial distribution or possess them in large quantities, arrest will be actively considered and a sentence of at least 2 years in prison will be sought. First-time general possessors will be fined 5 million won, while repeat offenders or participants such as paid members of sharing chat rooms will be formally prosecuted.

The prosecution explained that the strengthened case handling standards were established in consideration of the public outrage and demands for severe punishment related to the "n-beonbang" case, a sexual exploitation video sharing room operated on the online messenger Telegram.

Meanwhile, the prosecution stated that the newly established case handling standards will apply to both ongoing investigations and trials currently in progress.

A prosecution official said, "We plan to apply the strengthened case handling standards to all ongoing investigations and trials," and added, "We will strictly adhere to the handling standards in the future and consider increasing sentences in ongoing trials, aiming to strictly punish sexual exploitation video offenders."