"Staged Gang Fights Livestreamed and Police Mocked"... Gangster YouTubers Earning Hundreds of Millions

"Measures Needed Such as Age Restrictions for Viewing and Three-Strikes Policy"

The increase in YouTubers with backgrounds in organized crime groups has become a problem. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. [Image source=Pixabay]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] The so-called 'gangster YouTubers,' who claim to be former members of organized crime groups, are on the rise. Jo Eun-hee, a member of the People Power Party, stated that urgent measures are needed to address this issue.

On the 12th, Jo appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' and said, "Gangster YouTubers are broadcasting stories about drug use, forced molestation, and other acts without any restrictions on online video platforms, using vulgar language in a vivid and unfiltered manner." According to data from the National Police Agency, there are currently nine identified gangster YouTube channels, but including those not caught by monitoring, the number of such channels is believed to be higher.

Jo cited 'financial income' as the reason behind the rapid increase in gangster YouTube channels. He explained, "Former gangsters, after serving prison sentences, are older and their income from managing entertainment establishments or extorting protection fees from gambling dens is gradually decreasing, so their criminal methods are shifting to more sophisticated ones." He pointed out, citing a YouTube channel ranking analysis site, that gangster YouTube channels are earning hundreds of millions of won.

He also criticized gangster YouTubers for producing provocative content to increase their income. He said, "Their problem is that they claim to have reformed after going to prison and broadcast under the pretext of guiding youth not to become bad gangsters like themselves," but "according to the detectives in charge, it is actually for money."

There have even been cases where gang leaders colluded in advance to stage fights and live-streamed the content on YouTube to boost views. Jo said, "They even broadcast the details of police investigations on YouTube and settle just before being punished," adding, "They mock public authority and even file lawsuits and complaints against the investigating detectives."

Jo emphasized the urgency of preparing countermeasures. He said, "I am worried that youths might imitate these crimes, and what if this trend continues to grow," adding, "Currently, there are no regulatory provisions to censor the actions of gangster YouTubers themselves, and they can only be punished retrospectively when actual crimes occur." He urged that "legislation is needed to impose age restrictions on viewership, prohibit broadcasts with extreme violence and obscenity, and introduce a three-strike rule, with cooperation from the Korea Communications Commission and companies like Google," calling for the National Assembly to discuss alternatives.