'Reexamination of the Miryang Group Sexual Assault Case', Police Bulletin Board Supporting Perpetrators Also in Turmoil

44 High School Students Gang Rape Female Middle School Students in 2004
Controversy Over Some Local Police and Residents 'Defending Perpetrators'
Police Officer A Asked to "Explain Defense of Perpetrators"

Recently, a YouTube channel revealed the current status of the perpetrators of the 'Miryang Group Sexual Assault Case,' sparking renewed criticism against Mr. A, who later became a police officer after posting mocking comments about the victim from the perpetrators' side during the incident. On the 3rd, over 200 posts criticizing Police Corporal A were made on a bulletin board at a police station in Gyeongnam. While there had been only about 30 posts in the past year on this board, such activity surged over the weekend as the case was brought back into the spotlight.

A police officer is being criticized in a post. [Image source=Captured from the bulletin board of a police station in Gyeongnam]

On the bulletin board, Mr. A's real name was mentioned along with comments such as "Is this really the place where someone who defended the Miryang sexual assault perpetrators works?", "Is this the place where someone who committed crimes in the past and even changed their name works as a police officer?", "Highly commend the disguise skills," "Please explain the Miryang case," and "It's amazing that you are still working as a police officer." Additionally, Mr. A's personal information has been circulating on various online communities, leading to continued public condemnation.

The Miryang middle school girl group sexual assault case involved 44 high school male students in Miryang, Gyeongnam, who gang-raped a female middle school student over the course of a year in 2004. They reportedly filmed the assaults and threatened the victim by saying they would spread the videos if she spoke out. This case inspired the film 'Han Gong-ju' and the drama 'Signal.' However, none of the 44 perpetrators were criminally punished, which caused public outrage.

The movie Hangongju, inspired by the Miryang group sexual assault case.

At the time of the incident, some local police officers and residents defended the perpetrators, causing shock. Mr. A, who was a high school senior at the time, reportedly wrote on the perpetrator's mini homepage, "Did it get resolved well? I heard that except for three, they all got out... Those ugly bastards lol. Anyway, good job!" Mr. A later became a police officer and has been working in Gyeongnam to this day. Criticism of Mr. A as a police officer has been ongoing. In response, Mr. A stated in 2012, "Although the posts I made as a reckless teenager in high school were thoughtless, I deeply regret my actions that hurt the victim’s feelings and sincerely apologize."

In 2022, Baek Jong-won, CEO of The Born Korea, visited a restaurant in Cheongdo, Gyeongbuk. [Image source: Capture from Baek Jong-won's YouTube channel]

On the 1st, the YouTube channel 'Narak Bogwanso' stirred controversy by exposing the current status of one of the perpetrators of the Miryang case. The YouTuber claimed that the perpetrator works at a local restaurant visited by Baek Jong-won, CEO of The Born Korea, in 2022, saying, "It is known as a popular restaurant that attracts money. The restaurant tries to shift blame by calling him a part-time worker. The ringleader is currently raising his daughter without financial worries."

Upon learning this, netizens expressed outrage, saying, "It's absurd that someone who committed such a crime is married and living well." The restaurant has been targeted with 'review bombing,' receiving one-star ratings. In response, the restaurant stated, "It is true that we employed him, but he did not commit a crime," expressing their frustration. The restaurant has since closed its social media accounts.