40s Sentenced to Prison for Receiving Nude Photos from Middle School Girl in Open Chat Room and Giving Chocolate

Court. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Min Jun-young] A man in his 40s who received nude photos from minors in an open chat room and gave chocolate in return was sentenced to prison.

The Jeju District Court's 2nd Criminal Division (Chief Judge Jang Chan-soo) announced on the 23rd that A (45), who was tried on charges of violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse (production and distribution of obscene materials, etc.), was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison.

The court also ordered A to complete 40 hours of sexual violence treatment lectures and imposed a 3-year employment restriction at institutions related to children, adolescents, and persons with disabilities.

The court stated, "The defendant committed a crime to satisfy his sexual desires against minors, which is a serious offense."

However, the court added, "Since the photos were not received through coercion or threats and considering that the defendant admitted most of the crimes, the sentence was determined comprehensively."

A was previously prosecuted for receiving photos of a female middle school student B wearing a school uniform, whom he met in an open chat room around mid-February this year, and subsequently receiving several photos of body parts and nude images.

Investigations confirmed that A gave chocolate to B each time he received photos.

A's defense attorney pleaded for leniency, stating, "The defendant did not know the victim's age, and this case is different from the recent sexual exploitation material production cases. We ask the court to consider these circumstances."

However, the court rejected the plea, saying, "Considering the facts of the indictment, the sentence does not seem excessive."

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