Police Arrest 340 for Digital Sex Crimes Including Telegram 'n번방'... "Crimes Becoming More Intelligent and Covert"

Discord, Wicker, Dark Web, etc.
Channels for distributing sexual exploitation materials other than Telegram confirmed
Illegal gambling sites imitating N-bunbang detected

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The police have arrested more than 30 additional individuals on charges of producing and distributing sexual exploitation materials on Telegram and other digital sex crimes.

As of the 22nd, the National Police Agency announced on the 23rd that they have arrested 340 people related to digital sex crimes, of whom 51 have been detained. This is an increase of 31 arrests from 309 people (43 detained) as of the 16th, within just one week.

By type of crime, 146 were involved in producing and distributing sexual exploitation materials, 17 in organized distribution of such materials, and 95 in individual distribution. The largest age group among suspects was those in their 20s with 142 individuals, followed by 106 in their teens. Additionally, there were 72 in their 30s, 14 in their 40s, and 6 aged 50 and above.

Their heinous sexual exploitation crimes targeted teenage and women in their 20s. Among the 213 confirmed victims, 165 have been identified, and investigations have been completed for 161 of them. For the victims whose investigations have concluded, 635 protective and support measures have been provided, including pseudonymous statements, assistance and linkage for video deletion, appointment of public defenders, and connections to Sunflower Centers and counseling centers.

One month after the launch of the National Police Agency's "Digital Sex Crime Special Investigation Headquarters" on the 25th of last month, strong crackdowns continue, and the patterns of digital sex crimes are also changing. Due to the so-called "Telexit" phenomenon?where users leave Telegram (a portmanteau of Telegram and exit)?criminals are moving to other overseas secure messengers such as Discord and Wickr to distribute sexual exploitation materials, operating guerrilla-style Telegram chat rooms, and using the dark web, making distribution channels more sophisticated and covert, according to the police.

There have also been cases where Telegram crime methods were imitated and exploited for promoting illegal gambling sites and recruiting members. The Busan Metropolitan Police Agency arrested eight suspects who operated illegal gambling sites by distributing sexual exploitation materials in Telegram group chats and upgrading users to more provocative video-sharing group chats upon charging money for gambling site use; three of them have been detained.

Meanwhile, efforts to address institutional shortcomings continue. Regarding the use of social service agents as a channel to extract personal information by Cho Ju-bin (24, detained), the operator of the "Doctor's Room," authorities have taken measures to prevent social service agents from accessing personal information systems. Plans are also underway to raise the age of statutory rape to 16 and to add the distribution and possession of obscene materials involving minors to the list of offenses requiring registration of personal information.

International cooperation with overseas social network service (SNS) companies is being strengthened, and tracking techniques are being developed through analysis of the characteristics and functions of each messenger. Investigations into the original "Nth Room" creator, known by the nickname "GodGod," are also reportedly progressing.

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