"'n번방' Founder 'GodGod' Arrested... Details of Crime Methods and Participants Expected to Emerge"

24-Year-Old Man Arrested After 7 Months in Hiding
Arrest Warrant Requested... Digital Sex Crime Investigation Reaches Peak
All Key Operators Including 'Baksa' and 'Watchman' Successfully Apprehended

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Kwanju Lee, Seungyun Song, Jeongyun Lee] The creator of the 'Telegram n번방' who produced and distributed sexual exploitation materials targeting minors, known as 'GodGod,' has finally been caught by the police. With this, the police have succeeded in arresting all major operators related to the Telegram n번방 case. The arrest of GodGod is expected to provide crucial clues for understanding the methods of n번방 sex crimes and identifying additional accomplices.

The Cyber Safety Division of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency announced on the 11th that they have urgently detained and are investigating a 24-year-old man identified as A, who had been active under the name GodGod on Telegram. Earlier, on the 9th, while summoning A for questioning after identifying him as GodGod, the police obtained a confession and urgently arrested him on charges of violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse (production and distribution of child sexual exploitation materials, etc.). The police also applied for an arrest warrant for A on the same day. A police official stated, "Since this is an ongoing investigation, we will provide additional explanations if the arrest warrant is issued."

GodGod was known as one of the three main operators of n번방, along with Jo Joo-bin (24), who ran the 'Doctor's Room,' and Jeon (38), known as 'Watchman.' In particular, the n번방 originally created by GodGod is considered the prototype of the numerous similar n번방s that later emerged. This is also why all Telegram chat rooms producing and distributing sexual exploitation materials are referred to as n번방.

March 25, at the Digital Sex Crime Special Investigation Headquarters plaque ceremony held at the Northern Building of the Seoul Seodaemun-gu Police Agency. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

GodGod had been active on Telegram since late 2018 but suddenly disappeared in September last year. His criminal methods were more sophisticated than those of Jo, who operated the Doctor's Room by imitating n번방. Unlike Jo, who used virtual currencies traceable through exchanges, GodGod collected chat room entry fees using 'culture gift certificates,' which are difficult to trace buyers. He threatened women by threatening to disclose their personal information and forced them to film sexual exploitation materials. He also produced sexual exploitation pornography by giving real-time orders to women via messengers and other means. There is also evidence suggesting that he recruited third parties to force victims into sexual relations with them.

With GodGod's arrest, if the identities of members who entered the n번방 he created are revealed, the total number of suspects involved in the series of incidents is expected to increase. The police estimate that the Doctor's Room, operated by Jo, had about 15,000 members, including both free and paid members. Since GodGod's n번방 had a similar operation period to the Doctor's Room and was considered almost the only distribution channel for sexual exploitation materials at the time, more people involved are likely to emerge. The n번방 alone caused numerous victims, and as this crime type spread and increased harm, the police have focused their investigative efforts on GodGod's arrest as the pinnacle of the investigation.

There is also interest in whether the charge of 'organizing a criminal group' can be applied to GodGod's n번방. The key issue is whether the members of this room operated with a certain criminal purpose and a command structure. To secure objective evidence, it is important to investigate the existence of accomplices and clarify each person's role. Attention is also focused on whether GodGod's personal information will be disclosed. The personal information of main perpetrators and accomplices related to the Doctor's Room, including Jo, 'Buda' Kang Hoon (19), and Army Private 'Igya' Lee Won-ho (19), has already been disclosed. The police plan to hold a personal information disclosure review committee and decide on disclosure if GodGod is detained.

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