"I Am a Pastor" Sadistic Sexual Exploitation: Life Imprisonment Finalized for 'Vigilante' Ringleader

A life sentence has been finalized for Kim Nok-wan (34), the ringleader of the 'Vigilante', the sexual violence criminal group responsible for causing the largest number of victims in history.

The Supreme Court's Division 2 (Presiding Justice Kwon Young-jun) finalized the lower court's ruling sentencing Kim to life imprisonment today (September 10), as he was indicted on charges including the production of sexual exploitation materials under the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth against Sex Offenses, and rape resulting in injury.

The lower court's orders requiring Kim to wear an electronic tracking device for 30 years, prohibiting him from employment at child, youth, and disabled welfare institutions for 10 years, and disclosing and notifying the public of his personal information for 10 years were also upheld.

Kim was indicted while in detention in February of last year on charges of organizing the 'Vigilante', a cyber sexual violence criminal group that caused the largest number of victims in South Korea, from August 2020 to January of last year. Calling himself a "pastor," he sexually assaulted minors and others in sadistic and perverted ways, and produced and distributed sexual exploitation materials.

The Vigilante was a group that obtained the personal information of women who posted body photos on social media or engaged in conditional meetings, as well as men who attempted to enter Telegram "pornography rooms" or "acquaintance humiliation rooms." The group then threatened to leak their information to extort nude photos and produce and distribute sexual exploitation materials, while actually luring and sexually assaulting some of the victims in person.

The number of victims reached 261, which is more than three times that of the Telegram "Baksa-bang" case (73 victims), a similar crime.

The number of sexual exploitation materials produced by Kim and his accomplices amounts to around 2,000.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.