'Inmyeonsusim' 20s Gang Forced Runaway Youth into Prostitution... Secretly Sexually Assaulted Accomplice as Well

Forcing Runaway Youth into Prostitution, Confinement, and Assault
Court: "Using Victims as Means for Economic Gain... Responsibility Is Very Serious"

The photo is not related to any specific expression in the article / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] The court sentenced a group that forced runaway youths into prostitution to prison terms. One of them also secretly committed sexual assault without the accomplices' knowledge.

The 1st Criminal Division of the Pohang Branch of Daegu District Court (Presiding Judge Kwon Soon-hyang) announced on the 19th that it sentenced A (22), B (25), and C (22, female), who were indicted for violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse (coercion) and other charges, to six years, five years, and four years in prison, respectively. The court also ordered them to complete an 80-hour sexual violence treatment program and imposed a seven-year employment restriction for children, adolescents, and persons with disabilities.

A and others are accused of forcing D (17), a junior from their hometown, into prostitution under the pretext of providing lodging and meals from November 2019 to September 2020. They recruited clients through mobile phone applications an average of 25 times per month, three to four times a day, forcing D to engage in prostitution, and confiscated 70% of the money D received as payment for prostitution.

Additionally, A and C, who were in a romantic relationship, threatened D in August 2020 when she tried to escape by saying, "If you don't answer the phone, I will tell your father," and subsequently confined her in a motel in Buk-gu, Pohang City, Gyeongbuk Province, for a month. At that time, they even installed a location tracking app on D's phone to prevent her from escaping.

A is also accused of sexually assaulting D four times without C's knowledge.

B, C's older brother, participated in the crime in March 2020 and assaulted D with fists and feet when she refused prostitution, also damaging her phone.

The court stated, "The defendants bear very heavy responsibility as they forced the victimized youth into prostitution and received the income, treating the victim as a means to pursue economic gain," and pointed out, "A even committed the crime of raping D by force."

It added, "The defendants have admitted to all the crimes and are showing remorse. Considering that A reached an agreement with D and that D does not wish for the defendants to be punished, among other factors," explaining the reasons for sentencing.

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