Accomplice Kang Hoon of 'Baksa Room' Denies Charges of Criminal Organization in First Trial: "It Was All Jo Joo-bin's Doing"

Kang Hoon, known as 'Buddha,' the co-operator of the Telegram 'Doctor's Room' along with Jo Joo-bin, is being transferred to the prosecution by a police escort vehicle on the 17th at Jongno Police Station in Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Kang Hoon (18), alias 'Butta', an accomplice involved in operating the Telegram 'Doctor's Room', denied charges of participating in a criminal organization.

Kang's lawyer argued at the continuation trial held on the 14th at the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 31 (Presiding Judge Cho Seong-pil), stating, "There was neither the formation nor the activity of a criminal group."

This trial was the first hearing after the prosecution additionally indicted Kang and seven others, including 'Doctor' Jo Joo-bin, on charges of organizing, joining, and participating in a criminal organization.

The lawyer said, "The organizational structure claimed by the prosecution never existed," adding, "If it were a criminal organization, there would be at least some command system and hierarchical obedience, but there was none."

In particular, the defense directly refuted the prosecution's conclusion by stating that the requirements for establishing a criminal organization, as mandated by Supreme Court precedents, were not met at all.

The lawyer argued that a criminal organization is recognized only when a coalition of multiple natural persons with the intent to commit crimes forms an organizational structure distinguishing leaders, executives, and members.

However, in the case of the Doctor's Room, since Jo Joo-bin monopolized the method of exploiting victims' sexual content and exclusively reaped the benefits, Kang and others could not be seen as having organized and operated a criminal organization with the purpose of producing and distributing sexual exploitation materials for profit.

Furthermore, Kang claimed that he never personally communicated with anyone other than Jo Joo-bin and had no knowledge whatsoever of the overall structure or organization of the group.

The prosecution concluded that the Doctor's Room was a criminal organization composed of 38 members, including the ringleader Jo, who produced and distributed a vast amount of sexual exploitation materials targeting 74 juvenile and adult victims.