Blackmail with Secret Photos: "If You Don't Obey, I'll Spread Them"

Threatened with Secret Photo Distribution After Divorce Demand
Took Nude Photos for Debt Collection Threats
Threatened with Pre-Taken Photos After Breakup Notice

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Incidents have occurred where individuals secretly photograph another person's body and use the images to threaten them. Those who committed such crimes ultimately faced legal judgment.

According to the legal community on the 21st, Judge Lee Seung-won of the Seoul Western District Court Criminal Division 1 sentenced Kim Mo (51), who was indicted for threatening to distribute secret photos after his wife demanded a divorce, to six months in prison with a one-year probation on the 6th of this month.

Kim was indicted for threatening his wife, who demanded a divorce, at a pub in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, in December last year. He threatened her by referring to photos he had taken of her body in the past, saying, "I'm thinking about spreading all those photos."

A man who took nude photos in advance as a means of demanding repayment and then used them to threaten when the money was not repaid was also punished.

Judge Hwang Yeo-jin of the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 23 sentenced Park Mo (25), who was tried for violating the Loan Business Act and Debt Collection Act, to one year in prison.

Park was indicted for conducting unregistered loan business from January last year to March this year, lending a total of 263 million won over 71 occasions, and charging interest exceeding the legal annual rate of 24% on 55 occasions.

In particular, in January last year, Park took nude photos of debtor A when lending money and threatened, "If you don't repay properly, I will distribute them to your family." In May of the same year, he also threatened to distribute the nude photos because A did not repay the money. Park lent A 2 million won, deducted 200,000 won as an advance interest, and received 2.4 million won in principal and interest over 60 days, extorting interest equivalent to an annual rate of 363.7%.

The court explained the sentencing, saying, "While conducting unregistered loan business, the defendant threatened to inform family or acquaintances and took nude photos to threaten female victims, showing very bad criminal nature. However, the defendant admitted all wrongdoing, reached an agreement with victim A, and A does not want prosecution."

In May, a man in his 20s who secretly photographed his girlfriend's body and threatened to distribute the photos to her company or social network services (SNS) after she notified him of their breakup was also sentenced to prison.

Chief Judge Kim Jeong-hwan of the Ulsan District Court Criminal Division 1 sentenced B (28), indicted for violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (filming using a camera, etc.) and threats, to eight months in prison and a fine of 100,000 won, ordering him to complete 40 hours of sexual violence treatment program.

In May last year, B photographed his girlfriend's body, and after she notified him of their breakup and stopped responding, he threatened, "I will post the photos on SNS," and "I will copy the photos and send them to your company."

Judge Kim stated, "The defendant threatened by showing secretly taken photos and saying he would distribute them, persistently approached, harassed, and assaulted the victim, showing bad criminal nature. The defendant also has a prior record of assaulting another girlfriend for dating another man and damaging a passenger car when breaking up."