Ulsan District Prosecutors' Office Confirms Additional Charges of Producing and Distributing Sexual Exploitation Materials Against Two Suspects
Two Juvenile Offenders Among Perpetrators Sent to Ulsan District Court Juvenile Division, Remaining Two Transferred to Ulsan District Prosecutors' Office
[Asia Economy Culture Young Intern Reporter] Regarding the 'Yangsan Middle School Girl Group Assault Case,' in which a Mongolian middle school girl was gang assaulted by four peers in Yangsan, Gyeongnam last year, the prosecution has confirmed additional charges against two suspects for producing and distributing sexually exploitative materials.
The Ulsan District Prosecutors' Office announced on the 2nd that after supplementary investigations into the Yangsan middle school girl group assault case, two main suspects were additionally indicted without detention. The prosecution revealed through further investigation that the female perpetrators subjected their peer, Ms. A, to cruel acts and recorded these acts.
The incident occurred around midnight on July 3rd last year in Yangsan, Gyeongnam. The perpetrators forced Ms. A to drink about two bottles of alcohol, and when she vomited after being forced to drink, they began the group assault.
Ms. A tried to escape barefoot but was caught by the perpetrators and was assaulted for nearly six hours while her hands and feet were tied. They insulted her by drawing derogatory graffiti on her face related to her nationality and forced her head into a toilet, making her lick urine. The perpetrators filmed this scene and distributed it to friends nearby. The video was even traded for 5,000 won.
At the time, the police applied only the charge of joint assault and sent four suspects to the Ulsan District Prosecutors' Office, and the court sentenced them to short-term juvenile detention. However, as public opinion grew demanding severe punishment and disclosure of the perpetrators' identities, and the victim's side requested reinvestigation, the police reopened the investigation. As a result, additional offenses were confirmed, including removing the victim's upper clothing, filming videos, and touching her body. The police also judged that additional charges should be applied for assaulting while tying her limbs and threatening her to lie about other injuries to the police.
The prosecution thoroughly reviewed the secured videos to determine whether they constituted sexually exploitative materials, investigated numerous witnesses who viewed the videos, and indicted the defendants for additional crimes including forced molestation, production of sexually exploitative materials, and distribution of videos.
The prosecution requested support for the victim, including tuition and living expenses, and asked the Digital Sexual Crime Victim Support Center to monitor and assist in deleting the distribution of sexually exploitative videos.
Meanwhile, among the perpetrators, two juvenile offenders were sent to the Ulsan District Court Juvenile Division, and the remaining two were sent to the Ulsan District Prosecutors' Office.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
