[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The heavy sentence for Jo Joo-bin, who is accused of producing sexually exploitative videos of minors and selling and distributing them through the mobile messenger Telegram chat rooms, as well as systematically operating chat rooms such as 'Baksa-bang,' has been finalized.
The Supreme Court's 2nd Division (Presiding Justice Lee Dong-won) confirmed on the morning of the 14th the original sentence of 42 years imprisonment for Jo Joo-bin, who was indicted on charges including organizing a criminal group. The court stated, "There is no error in the lower court's judgment regarding the establishment of the crime of organizing a criminal group and the preparation for murder."
Jo Joo-bin was prosecuted for luring or threatening women from May 2019 to February 2020 to produce sexually exploitative materials and selling and distributing them via Telegram. He is also accused of threatening to distribute nude videos of minor victims and ordering accomplices to attempt sexual assault.
Jo Joo-bin, in particular, drew nationwide outrage as it was revealed that he operated the Telegram chat room 'Baksa-bang' together with accomplices. The prosecution classified those involved in operating this 'Baksa-bang' as a criminal group and applied charges of organizing a criminal group, leading to additional indictments against Jo Joo-bin. Subsequently, the cases involving Jo Joo-bin were consolidated and tried together.
The first trial recognized the chat room organization as a criminal group and sentenced Jo Joo-bin to 40 years imprisonment. Jo Joo-bin was also sentenced to an additional 5 years imprisonment in a separate case where he was accused of hiding about 108 million won earned by receiving proceeds from the Baksa-bang crimes in cryptocurrency and converting it. This brought the total sentence to 45 years. The second trial reduced the sentence to 42 years considering that he reached settlements with some victims. The Supreme Court found no error in this ruling.
Jo Joo-bin's trial is not over. Apart from the cases finalized on this day, he is currently undergoing first trial proceedings for charges of deceiving victims into conditional meetings and forcibly molesting them.
Meanwhile, court rulings on the main perpetrators of the Nth Room case, other than Jo Joo-bin, are being issued one after another. Jeon Mo, the 'Watchman' who acted as a connection channel for the Nth Room, had his 7-year imprisonment sentence finalized. The teenage accomplice 'Taepyeongyang' Lee Mo, who uploaded sexually exploitative videos under Jo Joo-bin's instructions, withdrew his appeal in July, finalizing his sentence of 10 years imprisonment for the long term and 5 years for the short term.
'Butta,' the second-in-command of Baksa-bang, is awaiting the Supreme Court's ruling. He was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in the second trial. 'GodGod' Moon Hyung-wook, who initially created the Nth Room, was sentenced to 34 years imprisonment in the second trial and has appealed; his case is currently under review by the Supreme Court.
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