12 People Including Discord Server Operators Arrested
14 Servers Shut Down and Approximately 130,000 Sexual Exploitation Videos Deleted
[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] Teenagers who sold and distributed hundreds of thousands of child and adolescent pornography through overseas messengers have been arrested by the police.
In particular, since all the suspects were confirmed to be middle and high school students, it was revealed that adolescents are defenselessly exposed to 'digital sex crimes.'
The Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency announced on the 6th that "11 people, including channel server operator A (17), and one person who redistributed obscene materials, were booked without detention on charges of violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse."
A and others are suspected of operating channel servers within the overseas voice chat messenger 'Discord' from September last year to March this year, selling and distributing sexually exploitative videos from 'Telegram' and gaining illegal profits.
During the police investigation, it was revealed that A and others sent 'overseas cloud download links' containing child and adolescent sexual exploitation materials in exchange for cultural gift certificates through one-on-one messenger conversations.
It was investigated that during the crime period, they sold and distributed about 130,000 obscene materials, earning at least 4 million won per person, which they used for pocket money and other purposes.
The police identified and arrested A and others through international joint investigations, shut down 14 Discord servers, and deleted obscene materials.
The police are also taking measures to prevent further distribution of obscene materials and are questioning the suspects about additional crimes.
A police official emphasized, "When the revised Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse is enforced in September, more proactive and active arrests will be possible through disguised transactions and other means," adding, "Not only adolescents but also the public must have social awareness of digital sex crimes."
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