[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The prosecution has requested the court to postpone the sentencing trial for Han Mo (27), an accomplice of Cho Ju-bin (24, in custody), the operator of the "Doctor's Room." Their strategy is to apply the charge of organizing a criminal group, file additional indictments, and then push for a consolidated trial with the existing case.
On the 27th, during the second trial for Han's charges of rape under the Juvenile Protection Act held at the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 31 (Presiding Judge Seongpil Cho), the prosecution stated, "There is a high possibility of additional indictment against the defendant next month," and requested, "Please hold another hearing date to consolidate the cases."
The prosecution had also submitted a request to change the trial date to the court on the 25th. However, the trial scheduled for that morning was not changed. The court proceeded as planned, renewing the trial procedures such as evidence examination.
The court initially planned to conclude all arguments with this hearing. However, since the prosecution requested about a month in court to allow time for additional indictments following their request to change the date, the court accepted this and scheduled an additional hearing on the 25th of next month. If no additional indictment is made by then, the sentencing trial will proceed.
So far, the prosecution has viewed Cho, Han, and other accomplices as an "organic coalition" dividing four roles: ▲identifying and luring victims ▲producing sexual exploitation materials ▲distributing sexual exploitation materials ▲withdrawing profits from sexual exploitation. They have been considering applying the charge of organizing a criminal group.
Notably, on the same day the prosecution submitted the request for a change, the court issued arrest warrants for two paid members of the Doctor's Room who were charged with organizing a criminal group. Initially, whether these warrants would be issued was widely seen as a gauge for applying the charge of organizing a criminal group to Cho, Han, and other accomplices.
Based on this court decision, the prosecution is reportedly planning to apply the charge of organizing a criminal group to Cho, Han, and other accomplices, file additional indictments, and request consolidation with the existing case.
Han was arrested and indicted on charges of attempting to sexually assault child and adolescent victims under Cho's instructions. He is also accused of sexually abusing victims by forcing them to perform obscene acts, filming these acts, and sending the videos to Cho to be posted in the "Doctor's Room."
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