Kim Nok-wan, Leader of 'Vigilante Group,' Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sex Crimes Against Twice as Many Victims as Cho Joo-bin

[The Financial News] Kim Nok-wan, who sexually exploited a total of 234 victims—twice as many as Cho Joo-bin, the operator of the 'Doctor's Room' in the Nth Room case via Telegram—was sentenced to life in prison in the first trial.
According to the legal community on the 24th, the Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Agreement Division 26 (Presiding Judge Lee Hyun-kyung) delivered its first verdict at 2 p.m. that day, sentencing Kim Nok-wan to life imprisonment among 10 other group members.
Kim Nok-wan was indicted on charges including organizing and operating a criminal group, producing and distributing sexually exploitative and illegal videos. The first-instance court also ordered a 10-year employment restriction at institutions related to children and adolescents, and mandated the wearing of an electronic location tracking device for 30 years.
From May 2020 to this January, Kim Nok-wan formed a pyramid-style sex crime organization called the 'Vigilante Group.' Inspired by the drama Narco-Saints, Kim called himself 'Pastor' and established a hierarchical structure with deacons, evangelists, and assistant evangelists beneath him. He led a total of 13 members, including middle and high school students, university students, and office workers, committing sexual exploitation crimes against 234 victims. Of these, 138 were confirmed as victims of sexual exploitation—about twice as many as the 73 victims in the Doctor's Room run by Cho Joo-bin in the Nth Room case.
The group targeted people regardless of age or gender, threatening them on Telegram by exposing their personal information. Kim Nok-wan personally met and raped 10 teenage girls, recording the acts. Among the victims were 57 teenage boys and 46 teenage girls, indicating a significant number of minors.
Prosecutors sought a life sentence for Kim and up to 14 years in prison for other members of the group.

hwlee@fnnews.com Lee Hwan-joo Reporter