[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] A man in his 20s who collected thousands of child sexual exploitation materials through the internet messenger 'Telegram' was sentenced to a suspended prison term.
The Daejeon District Court Criminal Division 4 (Judge Lee Heonsuk) announced on the 19th that A, who was indicted for violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse (possession of obscene materials), was sentenced to 8 months in prison with a 2-year suspension.
The court also ordered A to complete 40 hours of sexual violence treatment lectures and imposed a 3-year employment restriction at child and youth-related institutions and welfare facilities for the disabled.
The court pointed out, "The act of purchasing child sexual exploitation materials is very serious as it encourages the production of obscene materials and the acts that occur during the production process."
However, the court explained the sentencing reasons, stating, "Considering that A is a first-time offender, acknowledges and reflects on his wrongdoing, as well as his age, motive for the crime, and circumstances after the crime."
A was indicted for possessing a total of 2,111 child and youth obscene materials, including videos showing the full body exposure of children and adolescent females, which he downloaded by accessing Telegram from his home in Jung-gu, Daejeon.
A contacted sellers of sexual exploitation materials through social networking services (SNS) and was caught after purchasing sexual exploitation materials twice by paying about 20,000 won worth of cultural gift certificates or 20,000 won in cash.
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