Victim in Miryang rape case thanks public for support in wake of assailants' doxxing

Kim Hye-jeong, director of the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center, which represents the victims of the 2004 Miryang gang rape case, talks during a press briefing held in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Thursday. [NEWS1]

A victim in the 2004 Miryang gang rape case said she hopes that the public maintains interest in the incident while wishing for no further harm following the recent revelation of the purported identities of the perpetrators.

The Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center released a statement from the victim, identified by her surname Choi, and her sister during a press conference held in Mapo District, western Seoul on Thursday. The organization has been representing and supporting the victim and her family since 2004.

“We did not expect so many people to be interested in the case, thinking that it would fade away like it had before when the incident was mentioned in a movie or a TV show,” the statement read. “We thank the people who have expressed their anger and concern as if it happened to them, and for not forgetting us.”

In the statement, the victim shared that she felt less alone and was encouraged by the public’s comments, despite enduring difficult phases with “serious depression and crying out loud like a crazy person.” She further hoped that interest in the case is not merely momentary, leaving her hurt after it wanes.

“We hope there won’t be any more victims suffering from secondary harm due to the actions of the police and prosecution,” the statement continued, adding that no further harm should result from revealing the identities of people irrelevant to the case.

Online doxxing of the Miryang perpetrators has been expanding since June 1 after a YouTuber uploaded videos that claimed to identify the assailants. More YouTubers joined the effort to reveal the rapists' identities, which were uploaded without consent from the victim, according to the organization.

A total of 17 complaints and petitions regarding the exposure were filed with the police for defamation as of Tuesday.

Kim Hye-jeong, director of the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center, stressed that the victim suffered due to content created and uploaded without her consent or any form of communication.

“The victim hopes posts that mention her will be deleted,” Kim said. “She had already requested that a YouTuber who unveiled the identities of the perpetrators delete content containing the judgment of the case she had shared earlier.”

A YouTuber named Panseung uploaded a voice recording of a phone call with the victim, along with parts of the judgment last Saturday.

According to the organization, the victim sent the judgment to the YouTuber last November after seeing that he was holding a consultation session. The content creator apologized to the victim and her family and took down all related videos on Monday.

During Thursday's press conference, the organization added that fundraising for the victim would begin on its website to help Choi, who has been unable to secure a regular job and relies on the benefits of the basic livelihood security program.

“Punishing the perpetrators is important, but we hope that stronger support for victims will be studied and discussed more,” Kim said. “The perpetrators can be justly punished if sexual assault victims become stronger through increased financial support, enabling them to resume everyday life.”

The Miryang gang rape case involved at least 44 high school students who repeatedly sexually assaulted Choi, then a 14-year-old middle school girl, over the course of a year in Miryang, South Gyeongsang, in 2004.

The number of perpetrators may have been much higher than the 44 named in the case. Both Choi's sister and cousin were also assaulted.

The assailants, born between the years of 1986 and 1988, received no criminal punishment as juveniles.

At the time, 10 of the assailants who directly took part in the sexual assault were indicted and sentenced to probation, 20 were sent to juvenile detention centers and 14 settled with the victim.

The Miryang gang rape case became famous not only for the horrific nature of the crime, but also for the lenient punishments as well as accusations that police mistreated the victims and failed to thoroughly investigate.

A Seoul court and the Supreme Court later also found the police guilty of negligence for mistreating the victims during the investigation.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]