[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The creator of the ‘Telegram n번방’ who produced and distributed sexual exploitation materials targeting minors, known by the nickname ‘GodGod,’ has finally been caught by the police. With this, the police have succeeded in arresting all the major operators related to the Telegram n번방 case.
The Cyber Safety Division of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency announced on the 11th that they have urgently arrested and are investigating A (24), the operator of the Telegram n번방 known as ‘GodGod.’
Earlier on the 9th, while summoning A for questioning after identifying him as GodGod, the police received a confession from him and urgently arrested him on charges of violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse (production and distribution of child sexual exploitation materials, etc.). The police applied for an arrest warrant for A on the same day. A police official stated, “Since this is an ongoing investigation, we will provide additional explanations if the arrest warrant is issued.”
GodGod, who initially created the Telegram n번방 and produced and distributed sexual exploitation materials, went into hiding in September last year. GodGod’s criminal methods were even more sophisticated than Jo Joo-bin (24, detained), who operated the Doctor’s Room by imitating the n번방. Unlike virtual currencies that leave transaction records on exchanges, GodGod collected chat room entry fees using ‘culture gift certificates,’ which are difficult to trace buyers. Having gone into hiding seven months ago, GodGod is known to have relatively fewer related evidences compared to other operators.
Moreover, the n번방 created by GodGod alone caused numerous victims, and as this type of crime spread, the damage increased further, making GodGod’s arrest symbolically significant in digital sex crime investigations. The police have consistently said they are “approaching this meaningfully” and have remained tight-lipped about the progress of the GodGod investigation. It appears they were cautious to avoid providing clues that could compromise the tracking.
With GodGod’s arrest, it is expected that important clues will be secured for understanding the methods of the Telegram n번방 digital sex crimes and identifying additional accomplices. The arrest of GodGod marks not the end but the beginning of the n번방 investigation. Attention is also focused on whether GodGod’s personal information will be disclosed. The personal information of main perpetrators and accomplices related to the Doctor’s Room, such as ‘Doctor’ Jo Joo-bin and ‘BooTta’ Kang Hoon (19), has already been made public. The police are expected to hold a personal information disclosure review committee to decide whether to disclose GodGod’s information once he is detained.
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