[n번방 1 Year Later] Main Perpetrators of n번방 Face Legal Judgment... Victims' Suffering Continues (Comprehensive)

[n Room 1 Year Later, Part 1]

Jo Joo-bin Sentenced to 42 Years in Second Trial... Accomplices Also Facing Judgment
Police to Intensify Cyber Sexual Violence Crackdown Until October
Investigation Underway for Second n Room Case... Some Arrested and Booked

On the morning of the 17th, at the Jongno Police Station in Seoul, citizens held a picket demanding severe punishment as the vehicle carrying Kang Hoon, known as 'Buda,' an accomplice who assisted operator Jo Joo-bin in running and managing chat rooms on the Telegram 'Baksa Bang' and is charged with violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth against Sexual Offenses, left the Jongno Police Station and headed to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporters Song Seung-yoon and Lee Jung-yoon] The so-called ‘n번방’ (Nth Room) case, which sparked nationwide outrage early last year. After the police launched a large-scale investigation, the main perpetrators who seemed to have disappeared forever were arrested one after another, and those involved are gradually facing the judgment of the law.

Jo Joo-bin (26), the operator of the ‘Doctor’s Room’ and the person who triggered this case, was sentenced to 42 years in prison in the second trial following the first trial on the 1st. After the appellate court hearing at the Seoul High Court, he released an apology letter through his father, expressing late remorse by saying, "Beyond legal obligations, I will not neglect repaying the victims." Jo was sentenced to 45 years in prison in the first trial but received a 3-year reduction in the second trial. However, he has recently been additionally indicted on charges including forced molestation and coercion and is awaiting trial.

The ‘Telegram Sexual Exploitation Response Joint Countermeasure Committee’ held a press conference in front of the Seoul High Court immediately after this ruling, stating, "More than 8,000 citizens signed a petition urging severe punishment in this appeal trial," and expressed regret, saying, "The petition likely contained the hope to correct the numerous sexual exploitation perpetrators hiding behind Jo Joo-bin and the sexist social structure that enabled their offenses."

In addition, his accomplices Kang Hoon (19), known as ‘Bbootta’, and Lee Won-ho (20), known as ‘Igya’, were sentenced to 15 years and 12 years in prison respectively, and another accomplice Nam Kyung-eup (30) was sentenced to 20 years and is awaiting the first trial verdict.

‘GodGod’ Moon Hyung-wook (25), the operator of the Nth Room, was sentenced to 34 years in prison in the first trial and appealed; the second trial is ongoing. His accomplice Ahn Seung-jin (26) was sentenced to 8 years in prison in the first trial. Additionally, Shin Mo (33), known as ‘Kelly’, who operated a chatroom distributing sexual exploitation materials similar to the Nth Room, and Jeon Mo (38), known as ‘Watchman’, who acted as a gateway for the Nth Room, were sentenced to 4 years and 7 years in prison respectively.

Despite legal punishment being carried out, additional harm continues, and the suffering of victims and secondary victimization remain ongoing. A victim of singer Jung Joon-young posted on the Blue House National Petition site asking to "stop further secondary victimization," stating, "Although there have been changes such as strengthened punishment for illegal filming crimes due to cases like the Nth Room, various forms of secondary victimization against sexual crime victims are still widespread." The victim appealed for legislation on secondary victimization punishment for sexual crimes, △disabling comments on sexual crime news on portals, and △legislation related to protecting victims’ personal information in civil lawsuits.

Recently, a large-scale illegal filming video distribution case, called the ‘second Nth Room,’ also occurred. In this chatroom, sexual exploitation materials of over 100 female victims, along with personal information such as names, addresses, and occupations, were circulated. The initial illegal filmer, Mr. A, committed suicide after the police investigation began, but the videos he distributed were re-circulated on Telegram and other platforms before his death. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, investigating this case, has booked some related individuals who distributed or possessed illegal filming materials and is tracking the others. The police have also launched investigations into illegal filming material sharing websites, known as the ‘second Soranet.’ It was confirmed that these videos were also distributed there.

The Digital Sexual Crime Special Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency, launched in response to the Nth Room case, arrested more than 3,500 related offenders over nine months until last December and then disbanded. During its operation, the police regularly announced the arrest status of related offenders nationwide but no longer publish statistics. Instead, digital sexual crimes are continuously monitored mainly by cyber sexual violence investigation teams in local police agencies nationwide. The National Police Agency plans to conduct an intensive crackdown on ‘illegal distribution networks and distributors of cyber sexual violence’ until October, targeting △illegal distribution networks of sexual exploitation materials on secure messengers like Telegram and the dark web △sexual exploitation materials △illegal filming materials △illegal synthetic materials, focusing on both suppliers who produce and distribute and users who purchase, possess, or view such content.

A police official said, "We always adhere to strict enforcement principles in investigating digital sexual crimes," adding, "We will track down not only producers and distributors of sexual exploitation materials but also simple possessors to eradicate digital sexual crimes completely."