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Police publish identity of man behind Telegram-based sex crime ring

Published: 09 Feb. 2025, 15:47

A composite photo released by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on Feb. 8 shows mug shots of Kim Nok-wan, the leader of a Telegram sex crime ring. [YONHAP]

Police on Saturday revealed the identity of the leader of a Telegram-based sex crime ring that exploited more than 234 individuals since 2020.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency disclosed the suspect's name, age and photos on its website Saturday, identifying him as Kim Nok-wan, 33. The information will remain public until March 10.

Authorities decided to release Kim's identity during a meeting on Jan. 22. He sought to block the disclosure by filing a request with the Seoul Administrative Court, but the court rejected it.

According to investigations, Kim, who called himself "Pastor," formed a group known as "The Vigilantes" in May 2020. He allegedly ran a vast network of encrypted Telegram chat rooms, where he sexually exploited 234 victims — 159 of whom were teenagers — over four years until January this year.

The number of victims in this case is more than three times that of the notorious "Baksabang" case of 2019 to 2020, in which Cho Joo-bin blackmailed 73 individuals into making child and adolescent sexual exploitation video clips that he sold online through encrypted Telegram chat rooms.