"Court Wrong from Start to Finish" Seo Ji-hyun Furious Over US Denial of Son Jung-woo Extradition

Seo Ji-hyun, Special Advisor on Gender Equality Policy at the Ministry of Justice [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Yeon-ju] Prosecutor Seo Ji-hyun (Special Advisor on Gender Equality Policy at the Ministry of Justice) sharply criticized the court's refusal on the 7th to extradite Son Jeong-woo (24), the operator of the world's largest child and adolescent sexual exploitation site 'Welcome to Video (W2V)', to the United States, saying, "It was all wrong from beginning to end. Look at the decision document with wide-open eyes."

Prosecutor Seo said in a post on her Facebook that "The people earnestly wished for him to be sent to the U.S. to receive punishment commensurate with his crimes, and at least the court should have felt some shame," expressing her opinion.

She conveyed her devastated feelings, saying, "I read the decision document (refusing Son’s extradition to the U.S.) and repeatedly felt anger, sadness, despair, swore, and cried."

Earlier, on the 6th, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 20 (Presiding Judge Kang Young-soo, Judges Jeong Moon-gyeong and Lee Jae-chan) decided not to approve the extradition of Son Jeong-woo, the operator of the world's largest child sexual exploitation site 'Welcome to Video' (W2V).

The court ruled that since investigations related to Son’s child and adolescent sexual exploitation materials are ongoing domestically, it is possible to prevent recurrence of the crime by having him investigated in Korea.

The court stated, "Sending him to a place where he would be punished more severely is not the purpose of the extradition system," and added, "The Republic of Korea, as a sovereign nation, can exercise criminal punishment authority over Son proactively."

Son Jung-woo (24), the operator of the world's largest child sexual exploitation site "Welcome to Video," was released on the afternoon of the 6th after the court's decision to deny extradition to the United States, leaving Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

In response, Prosecutor Seo argued, "Article 1 of the Extradition Act states that its purpose is to promote international cooperation in the suppression of crimes," and "Extraditing Son Jeong-woo perfectly aligns with this."

She also pointed out the court’s refusal to extradite on the grounds that domestic investigations of site members might be necessary.

She criticized, "Did you exercise your authority proactively to impose an unprecedented sentence of 1 year and 6 months?" and "The police investigation into site members has officially ended, there are no plans for additional investigations, and the case involving his father mostly resulted in lenient sentences."

Regarding the part of the judgment that included measures to suppress related crimes and prevent victimization, she said, "Even if legislative measures are taken now, Son Jeong-woo cannot be punished," and criticized, "A consensus on the seriousness of the crime has been sufficiently formed except by the court."