99.8% of Citizens Say "Punishment for Digital Sex Crimes Is Too Lenient... Sentences Should Be Harsher"

On the morning of the 17th, at the Jongno Police Station in Seoul, citizens held a picket demanding severe punishment as the vehicle carrying Kang Hoon, alias "Buddha," an accomplice who assisted operator Jo Joo-bin in running and managing chat rooms on the Telegram "Baksa Bang," and who is charged with violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse, left the Jongno Police Station and headed to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] A civic group survey revealed that most citizens perceive the punishment level for digital sex crimes as weak.

The university student investigative team "Chujeokdan Bulkkot," which first exposed the Telegram Nth Room case, and "Project Reset" conducted a survey from June to August targeting 7,509 citizens aged 10 to 60s regarding the domestic sentencing standards for digital sex crimes. On the 27th, they announced that 99.8% of respondents agreed that the punishment level for digital sex crimes is too lenient.

According to the survey results, when asked who bears the main responsibility for the weak punishments, 96.5% (multiple responses allowed) answered judges. This was followed by prosecutors and police (84.5%), and members of the National Assembly (74.2%).

98.8% of respondents agreed that "the judiciary does not take digital sex crimes seriously," and 91.4% responded that a sentencing advisory panel is necessary for digital sex crime cases.

When asked what the Supreme Court Sentencing Commission or judiciary should do to reduce digital sex crimes, 53.8% chose "heavier punishment" and "strengthening sentencing."

Regarding appropriate sentences by type of digital sex crime, respondents indicated a minimum of 7 years imprisonment for production and distribution of obscene materials involving children and adolescents, a minimum of 6 years imprisonment for filming crimes using cameras, and a minimum of 5 years imprisonment for obscene crimes using communication media such as Telegram.

Chujeokdan Bulkkot and Reset plan to deliver these survey results to the Supreme Court Sentencing Commission on the morning of the same day.

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