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| Cho Ju-bin: South Korea chatroom sex abuse suspect named after outcry | Cho Ju-bin: South Korea chatroom sex abuse suspect named after outcry |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A man accused of leading a group that blackmailed girls into sharing sexual videos - which were then posted in pay-to-view chatrooms - has been named after an outcry in South Korea. | A man accused of leading a group that blackmailed girls into sharing sexual videos - which were then posted in pay-to-view chatrooms - has been named after an outcry in South Korea. |
| At least 10,000 people used the chatrooms, with some paying up to $1,200 (£1,000) for access. | |
| Some 74 people, including 16 underage girls, were exploited. | Some 74 people, including 16 underage girls, were exploited. |
| A police committee took the unusual step of naming Cho Ju-bin, 24, after five million people signed petitions. | A police committee took the unusual step of naming Cho Ju-bin, 24, after five million people signed petitions. |
| "I apologise to those who were hurt by me," Cho said as he was led away from a Seoul police station on Wednesday. | "I apologise to those who were hurt by me," Cho said as he was led away from a Seoul police station on Wednesday. |
| "Thank you for putting a brake on the life of a devil that could not be stopped." | "Thank you for putting a brake on the life of a devil that could not be stopped." |
| He did not respond when reporters asked if he admitted the charges. | He did not respond when reporters asked if he admitted the charges. |
| He is accused of abuse, threats and coercion, and of violating the child protection act, the privacy act and the sexual abuse act. | |
| How did the chatrooms work? | How did the chatrooms work? |
| Customers paid to access the so-called "nth rooms", where extorted content from underage girls was uploaded in real time. Fees ranged from $200 to $1,200. | Customers paid to access the so-called "nth rooms", where extorted content from underage girls was uploaded in real time. Fees ranged from $200 to $1,200. |
| According to Korean outlet Kookmin Ilbo, each of the eight "nth rooms" hosted videos from three to four girls who had been blackmailed by chatroom operators. | According to Korean outlet Kookmin Ilbo, each of the eight "nth rooms" hosted videos from three to four girls who had been blackmailed by chatroom operators. |
| The girls were active on chat apps, or Twitter, and engaged in prostitution or sexting for money. | |
| The chatroom operators contacted the girls, promising modelling or escort jobs. | The chatroom operators contacted the girls, promising modelling or escort jobs. |
| They were then directed to a Telegram account where the operator extracted their names, phone numbers, addresses, friend lists, and photos, which were then used to blackmail them. | They were then directed to a Telegram account where the operator extracted their names, phone numbers, addresses, friend lists, and photos, which were then used to blackmail them. |
| Who were the victims? | Who were the victims? |
| One school girl - speaking to Kim Hyun Jung on South Korea's CBS radio - said she was approached online after looking for work. | One school girl - speaking to Kim Hyun Jung on South Korea's CBS radio - said she was approached online after looking for work. |
| After being promised money and a phone, she was told to send pictures of herself, followed by sexual abuse videos. | After being promised money and a phone, she was told to send pictures of herself, followed by sexual abuse videos. |
| The victim said there were at least 40 videos in total. | The victim said there were at least 40 videos in total. |
| "He already had my face, my voice, my personal information," the victim said. | "He already had my face, my voice, my personal information," the victim said. |
| "I was afraid that he would threaten me with that information if I said I would quit." | "I was afraid that he would threaten me with that information if I said I would quit." |
| 'The fury will not stop here' | 'The fury will not stop here' |
| Angry South Koreans don't just have a name - they now know the face of the man who allegedly called himself "The Doctor". | Angry South Koreans don't just have a name - they now know the face of the man who allegedly called himself "The Doctor". |
| His comments outside the Seoul police station will have done nothing to quell the deep wave of anger sweeping through supporters of women's rights in the country. | His comments outside the Seoul police station will have done nothing to quell the deep wave of anger sweeping through supporters of women's rights in the country. |
| Over two million signed a petition to have Cho's identity made public. They got their wish. But the fury will not stop there. | Over two million signed a petition to have Cho's identity made public. They got their wish. But the fury will not stop there. |
| Over and over again women have told me they feel the justice system does not adequately punish sex crimes and does not act as a deterrent. | Over and over again women have told me they feel the justice system does not adequately punish sex crimes and does not act as a deterrent. |
| And over and over again tens of thousands of women have urged the current administration to act. | And over and over again tens of thousands of women have urged the current administration to act. |
| This became apparent during South Korea's so called spy camera demonstrations. | This became apparent during South Korea's so called spy camera demonstrations. |
| Large-scale protests were held over several weeks at the authorities' lack of action over illicit videos - taken in places such as public bathrooms and changing rooms - and posted online. | Large-scale protests were held over several weeks at the authorities' lack of action over illicit videos - taken in places such as public bathrooms and changing rooms - and posted online. |
| The Minister for Gender Equality Lee Jung-ok has vowed to revise the laws governing sex crimes including online grooming and the blackmail of children and teenagers. | The Minister for Gender Equality Lee Jung-ok has vowed to revise the laws governing sex crimes including online grooming and the blackmail of children and teenagers. |
| But will the changes go far enough in a country where being drunk is a defence for rape? | But will the changes go far enough in a country where being drunk is a defence for rape? |
| The level of outrage at this case should be a warning to the current administration that women in this country are watching closely - and will not wait forever for well overdue reforms. | The level of outrage at this case should be a warning to the current administration that women in this country are watching closely - and will not wait forever for well overdue reforms. |
| What was the public reaction? | What was the public reaction? |
| Details emerged via a newspaper report in November, followed by another report in March. | Details emerged via a newspaper report in November, followed by another report in March. |
| The story caused outrage in a country where another abuse scandal - the Burning Sun case - dominated headlines last year. | The story caused outrage in a country where another abuse scandal - the Burning Sun case - dominated headlines last year. |
| A petition on the presidential website, calling for the main suspect to be named, was signed 2.6m times. | A petition on the presidential website, calling for the main suspect to be named, was signed 2.6m times. |
| Another petition on the same site, calling for all chatroom users to be named, was signed almost 2m times. | Another petition on the same site, calling for all chatroom users to be named, was signed almost 2m times. |
| President Moon Jae-in regarded the chatrooms as a "cruel act that destroyed lives", according to a spokesman. | President Moon Jae-in regarded the chatrooms as a "cruel act that destroyed lives", according to a spokesman. |
| "The fact that more than three million people signed the petition...is a serious plea to the government from the people, especially women, requesting a stop to such malicious digital sex crimes," the spokesman added. | "The fact that more than three million people signed the petition...is a serious plea to the government from the people, especially women, requesting a stop to such malicious digital sex crimes," the spokesman added. |
| Who else has been arrested? | Who else has been arrested? |
| The National Police Agency told reporters that 124 suspects had been arrested - with 18 chat room operators in custody - since September. Cho is one of the 18. | The National Police Agency told reporters that 124 suspects had been arrested - with 18 chat room operators in custody - since September. Cho is one of the 18. |
| A user called GodGod, who is suspected of first creating the chat room, remains at large. | A user called GodGod, who is suspected of first creating the chat room, remains at large. |
| "Through strict investigation, the police will entirely transform the social apathy to digital sex crime and strongly root out such crime from our society," said Min Gap-ryong, commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency. | "Through strict investigation, the police will entirely transform the social apathy to digital sex crime and strongly root out such crime from our society," said Min Gap-ryong, commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency. |