Decision on Public Disclosure of Personal Information of 'Baksa Bang' Accomplice Army Private Today (Update)

Kang Hoon, known as 'Buddha,' the co-operator of the Telegram 'Doctor's Room' along with Jo Joo-bin, is being transferred to the prosecution from Jongno Police Station in Seoul on the 17th, moving to the escort vehicle. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] The military will decide on the 28th whether to disclose the personal information of a Private First Class in the Army known as an accomplice in the 'Baksa Room' case. If the disclosure is decided, it will be the first such case in the military and the third disclosure related to the Baksa Room. Until now, there has been no precedent of the military officially disclosing the personal information of a suspect.

According to the Army on this day, a Personal Information Disclosure Committee will be held today to decide whether and how to disclose the personal information of Private First Class A, who is under arrest and investigation on charges of 'sexual violence crimes.'

The Personal Information Disclosure Committee consists of seven members, including the Chief Prosecutor of the Army Headquarters as the chairman and four external members. The Army is expected to announce the decision on the disclosure after following up procedures as early as this afternoon.

Private First Class A is known as an accomplice of Jo Joo-bin (24), the operator of the Telegram Baksa Room, who produced and distributed sexual exploitation materials. Private First Class A was arrested by the military police on charges of distributing sexual exploitation materials targeting women hundreds of times in the Baksa Room and promoting the Baksa Room externally. Private First Class A is identified as 'Lee Gi-ya,' one of the three co-operators of the Baksa Room revealed by Jo Joo-bin's lawyer.

Since there were no clear regulations on personal information disclosure, the military recently established new guidelines regarding the disclosure of suspects' personal information, prompted by the investigation of Private First Class A. Each investigative agency's Personal Information Disclosure Committee must consist of seven members, including the chairman. To ensure fairness and objectivity, at least four of the external members must be legal professionals, doctors, clergy, educators, or psychologists.

Previously, civilian police decided to disclose the personal information of Jo Joo-bin and his accomplice 'Butta' Kang Hoon (18). The military prosecution plans to complete the investigation by early next month.