Middle School Girl Distributes Classmate's Nude Photos and Videos... Seoul Education Community in Uproar

Before-and-after body photos of diet posted privately on SNS
Perpetrator student who shared password spreads photos out of spite after argument

[Asia Economy Reporters Hyunju Lee and Byungdon Yoo] An incident occurred in a middle school in Seoul where students circulated semi-nude photos and videos of a classmate via messenger, causing an uproar among local middle schools. Upon receiving the report, the education authorities and police immediately launched an investigation. As raising awareness about the distribution of obscene materials has recently become a social issue, there are calls for more proactive enlightenment efforts targeting students in educational settings.

According to the Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul on the 25th, the police are investigating the case involving the distribution of semi-nude photos and videos of a female middle school student at Seoul A Middle School. The photos and videos were taken by the victim herself before and after dieting and posted as private posts on social networking services (SNS).

However, after a quarrel, the perpetrator who shared the SNS password with the victim harbored resentment and distributed the photos and videos to five friends. Subsequently, second and third rounds of distribution occurred, spreading not only within A Middle School but also to students of nearby schools. Although the victim became aware of this, she was too afraid to report it. Eventually, following advice from those around her, she confessed to her parents, who immediately reported the matter to the school homeroom teacher. A Middle School began an investigation and reported the case to the police.

An official from A Middle School stated, "There is only one victim, but the number of distributors reaches over ten, so we consider this a serious matter," adding, "We are doing our best to block further distribution by confronting the perpetrators and will respond strictly based on the investigation results." The education authorities, having recognized the incident, plan to decide whether to hold a School Violence Countermeasure Committee meeting and determine the level of disciplinary action against the perpetrators.

However, the punishment for the perpetrators is expected to be minimal. Most of the perpetrators are second-year middle school students under the age of 14, so they are not subject to criminal punishment, and since the photos and videos were taken by the victim herself, they are difficult to classify as obscene materials.

Under the current Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles against Sexual Abuse, possession of child and juvenile pornography alone can result in imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to 20 million won, making it a subject of severe punishment. However, in this case, it is unlikely that the materials fall within the scope of obscene materials.

Attorney Junsung Jang of Law Firm How explained, "Defamation rather than the Child and Youth Sexual Protection Act may apply, and the perpetrators are juvenile offenders not subject to criminal punishment," adding, "Protective measures under Article 32 of the Juvenile Act can be taken, but if deemed unnecessary, even these measures may not be imposed."