'I'll Make Humiliating Photos of Your Acquaintance'—Lured, Threatened, and Sexually Exploited... 'Chamgyoyukdan' Ringleader Arrested After 5 Years

[Financial News] The ringleader of the cybercrime group known as 'Chamgyoyukdan,' which lured hundreds online with offers to create so-called 'humiliating acquaintance photo composites,' then threatened and even demanded nude written pledges from those who responded, has been apprehended by police after more than five years.
The Cyber Crime Investigation Unit 3 of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA) announced on the 7th that Individual A (21), a co-leader of Chamgyoyukdan, was arrested and detained on charges of organizing a criminal group, joint blackmail and coercion, and producing sexual exploitation material. The arrest took place on the 19th of last month.
Individual A, along with co-leaders Individual B and Individual C, is accused of posting advertisements from July 2020 to March 2021 on Social Networking Service (SNS) platforms, offering to create 'humiliating acquaintance' photo composites. They then lured victims and coerced them into producing sexual exploitation material.
It was found that Individuals A, B, and C had previously acted as mid-level administrators in Telegram Messenger groups such as 'The Scarlet Letter' and 'Digital Prison,' which emerged after the 'Doctor's Room' and 'Nth Room case' incidents in 2020. They later formed Chamgyoyukdan on Telegram Messenger, imitating these groups.
The group was organized into three divisions: Investigation, Intelligence, and Administration. Members were assigned roles such as identifying, luring, threatening victims, and producing sexual exploitation material. After luring victims, they threatened to disclose the request for humiliating photos to acquaintances, demanding nude written pledges, daily reports, and written apologies. Some victims were even recruited as new members. In total, 342 individuals were victimized.
The organization began to collapse when Individual C and 63 other members were arrested. While Individuals A and B initially evaded capture and the investigation was suspended, the SMPA discovered similarities to the 'Vigilante Group (Moksabang)' case during an investigation in November 2023. This led to a reanalysis of the case and the eventual arrest of Individual A.
From November 1 last year to October 31 this year, the SMPA, as part of the National Office of Investigation's intensive crackdown on cybersex crimes, apprehended 418 suspects, including Individual A from Chamgyoyukdan, and detained 28 of them.
By type, 148 suspects (35.4%) were charged with producing child and youth sexual exploitation material, the highest number. This was followed by 107 for illegal filming (25.6%), 99 for fabricated videos (23.7%), and 64 for other illegal sexual videos (15.3%).
An official from the SMPA stated, "Cybersex crimes are considered acts of social and personal murder. Not only those who produce and distribute such material, but also those who possess or view it, will be treated as serious offenders and face zero tolerance." The official urged, "If you become a victim, do not hesitate to report it to the police or contact the Seoul Digital Sex Crime Victim Support Center or the Digital Sex Crime Victim Support Center."
welcome@fnnews.com Jang Yu-ha Reporter