20-Something Admits Producing 574 Underage Exploitation Files as Prosecutors Seek 5-Year Term

A Startling Confession
In late July at the Seoul Northern District Court the 22-year-old defendant acknowledged every charge for producing 574 child and youth exploitation files over nearly a year starting February 2023
He expressed deep remorse and asked for leniency citing impulsive behavior and difficult family finances
The court heard that he communicated sexually explicit content to minors more than 300 times via messaging apps to provoke shame and arousal

Prosecutors Seek Harsh Sentence
The prosecution requested five years imprisonment plus mandatory participation in a sexual violence treatment program and a decade ban on working with children youth and people with disabilities
They also asked for the public disclosure of his personal information under new digital crime statutes
The sentencing hearing is set for September 5 next year highlighting the judiciary response to repeated digital sexual offenses

A Cultural Reckoning
South Korea has grappled with digital sexual crimes since high-profile Nth Room revelations in 2020 that exposed widespread online exploitation of minors
Legislative reforms have criminalized online grooming and strengthened penalties for producing distributing or even possessing underage exploitation content
Government blogs praised these measures but legal commentators warn that new laws must be matched with better detection tools and public education to truly protect vulnerable youth

Voices From the Web
Legal blogs on Naver and Tistory have condemned the case labeling 574 incidents as one of the most extreme digital exploitation crimes in recent years
Community forums show mixed reactions with outrage over the scale of abuse but calls for rehabilitation programs underscoring belief in second chances
Many netizens question how apps and platforms can better verify user ages and how parents educators and policymakers can work together to prevent future tragedies