Nine Suspects Including MZ Gangsters and Joseonjok Thugs Arrested and Sent for Prosecution for Art Theft

A gang, known as the so-called 'MZ Jopok', who forcibly took artworks from a gallery owner and extorted excessive profits together with Joseonjok gangsters, has been handed over to the prosecution while in custody.

On the 27th, the Violent Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that on the 23rd, they had sent CEO B of investment company A and two executives to the prosecution under custody on charges including attempted special robbery, special coercion, and violation of the Location Information Protection Act.

B and others are accused of mobilizing the MZ Jopok and naturalized Joseonjok gangsters to assault and threaten the victim, the representative of E Gallery, demanding 8.7 billion KRW on the 1st and 2nd of last month. Additionally, they forced the victim to testify that he owed 8.7 billion KRW, secretly recorded it, confiscated the victim’s mobile phone, installed a location-sharing application without consent, and tracked him. On the 3rd, B repeatedly struck the victim’s head at E Gallery located on Dosan-daero in Gangnam-gu.

B and others committed these crimes under the pretext of recovering 2.8 billion KRW invested in art pieces. At the end of March, B invested 2.8 billion KRW in five paintings at the victim’s E Gallery and agreed to receive 4.2 billion KRW but planned the crime after failing to recover the money. Two executives, three MZ Jopok members, and three Joseonjok gangsters seized three paintings worth approximately 39 million KRW stored in the gallery. Furthermore, on May 5th, they demanded and received 34 million KRW as interest, and on the 13th of this month, they threatened to hold a one-person protest at a hospital run by the victim’s husband, extorting 210 million KRW. On the 19th of this month, a proxy actually conducted the one-person protest in front of the victim’s husband’s hospital.

The three MZ Jopok members, who call themselves the 'Bulsapa', are known to have formed a nationwide organization among peers born in 1983 since 2021. Despite having tattoos all over their bodies and no steady jobs, they lived in luxury apartments in Gangnam and drove expensive foreign cars. The three MZ Jopok members and the three Joseonjok gangsters involved in the crime were also sent to prosecution under custody on the 23rd.

A police official stated, "We conducted a swift investigation, simultaneously apprehending the suspects to prevent retaliation and further damage," adding, "Since the MZ Jopok may be involved in other crimes, we will analyze the seized items to uncover additional offenses."

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