Prosecution Requests Extension of Detention for Jo Joo-bin... Focused Investigation on Accomplice Status and Conspiracy Relations

Prosecution Conducts 6th Interrogation of Jo Joo-bin... Requests Extension of Detention Period
Focused Investigation on Accomplices' Conspiracy and Possibility of Co-perpetrators

Jo Joo-bin, the operator of the 'Doctor's Room' who threatened dozens of women including minors on the internet messenger Telegram and forced them to film obscene materials which he then distributed, is coming out of Jongno Police Station in Seoul on the morning of the 25th to be sent to the prosecution. / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] On the 2nd, the prosecution applied for an extension of the detention period for Jo Joo-bin (24, in custody), the operator of the 'Baksa Bang' who is accused of producing sexually exploitative materials and distributing them on the internet messenger Telegram. Jo was summoned to the prosecution for the sixth time on the same day for investigation.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Digital Sex Crime Special Investigation Task Force (headed by Chief Prosecutor Yoo Hyun-jung) summoned Jo at 10:20 a.m. and is currently investigating him in a video-recorded interrogation room. The morning investigation continued until 11:45 a.m., and after lunch, the investigation resumed at 2 p.m.

Jo's lawyer was unable to attend the investigation due to personal reasons. In the afternoon, Jo is expected to undergo questioning alone without his lawyer's participation.

The prosecution is questioning Jo about which group chats and channels he operated from the time he started using Telegram until his arrest. They are also focusing on investigating the roles of those involved in Jo's crimes, their conspiracy relationships, and the possibility of accomplices.

As Jo's initial detention period expires on the 3rd, the prosecution applied to the court on the same day for an extension of his detention period. According to the Criminal Procedure Act, the detention period for a suspect is ten days, but if extended once, detention can last up to 20 days.

On the 25th, as the vehicle carrying Jo Joo-bin (25), the operator of the 'Doctor's Room' who is accused of producing and distributing sexual exploitation materials of women including minors on the internet messenger Telegram, left the Jongno Police Station in Seoul and headed to the prosecution detention center, citizens held a picket protest demanding severe punishment for Jo Joo-bin. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

The prosecution plans to first organize the 12 charges, including production and distribution of obscene materials under the Youth Protection Act, transferred by the police, and indict Jo. Additional charges will be filed as investigation details from the police are received.

The prosecution also summoned Kang Mo (24, in custody and indicted), a social service worker at Yeongtong District Office in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, who was detained at Seoul Detention Center the day before, to intensively question him about his involvement in the crimes. The prosecution is investigating circumstances indicating that Kang provided Jo with personal information of victims while working as a social service worker.

During the investigation the previous day, the prosecution questioned Kang about how he came to know Jo and about additional charges not included at the time of indictment related to crimes involving Baksa Bang. Kang is currently on trial after being indicted earlier this year for accessing the district office's information system network to look up personal information of victim woman A (34) and her family and requesting Jo to retaliate.

The prosecution also announced on the same day that it filed an arrest warrant for another social service worker in their 20s, A, who handed over complainants' personal information to Jo. The pre-trial detention hearing for A will be held at 10:30 a.m. on the 3rd at the Seoul Central District Court.

Jo Joo-bin, the operator of the 'Doctor's Room' who threatened dozens of women including minors on the internet messenger Telegram and forced them to film obscene materials which were then distributed, is coming out of Jongno Police Station in Seoul on the morning of the 25th to be sent to the prosecution. / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

The prosecution is conducting joint investigations with the police on other related persons who may be considered accomplices of Jo. They plan to comprehensively examine the extent of these individuals' involvement in Jo's production and distribution of sexually exploitative materials, whether they shared profits received under the name of 'entrance fees,' and whether they participated in operating paid chat rooms as partners, to define the scope of accomplices. The existence of criminal proceeds is also under investigation.

The prosecution is also considering whether to apply the criminal law charge of 'organizing a criminal organization' to Jo and his accomplices. Ultimately, they plan to carefully review the scope and feasibility of applying this charge based on the results of joint investigations with the police.

A prosecution official said, "We are closely cooperating with the police for investigations into Jo's accomplices and related persons, and the supervision and cooperation in the investigation are proceeding very smoothly."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.