First Arrest Warrant Hearing for 'Redistributor' of n번방 Videos

Suspected of Bulk Purchasing Child Sexual Exploitation Videos and Reselling Them on the Dark Web

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jeong] The decision on whether to detain a man in his 20s who resold child sexual exploitation materials produced and distributed in the Telegram 'Baksabang' and 'n번방' will be made on the 30th. This is the first detention warrant hearing for a person who only redistributed sexual exploitation videos.

Seoul Central District Court Judge Kim Taekyun, in charge of warrants, began the pre-detention suspect interrogation (warrant substantive hearing) on the morning of the same day for A (26), who is accused of violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse (production and distribution of sexual exploitation materials, etc.). The decision on A's detention will be made in the afternoon. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Special Investigation Unit on Digital Sex Crimes applied for a detention warrant for A (26) on the 26th, who is suspected of purchasing a large amount of child sexual exploitation materials through Twitter and reselling them on the dark web. A purchased and resold about 3,000 child sexual exploitation materials from March to April this year.

The police are also pursuing those who purchased child sexual exploitation materials from A. The investigation is ongoing by identifying and summoning dozens of people who redistributed or posted sales advertisements for Baksabang-related child sexual exploitation materials on the dark web or Twitter, like A. The decision on A's detention is expected to serve as a benchmark for the level of punishment for such illegal video redistributors. Additionally, the police, in cooperation with the Korea Communications Commission, have deleted or blocked about 1,900 Baksabang-related sexual exploitation materials uploaded on the internet.