South Koreans react as YouTuber reveals identities of 44 attackers in Miryang sex crimes case 20 years ago

The Miryang sexual assault case, a heinous crime committed 20 years ago, has once again come into the spotlight of South Korean society. In 2004, a horrific incident occurred in the city of Miryang in Gyeongsangnam-do, in which 44 male senior high school students raped and abused a 14-year-old junior high school student over the course of an entire year.


These male students, who came from several high schools in the Miryang area, formed a disturbing “coalition” and together “passed” the young victim around, raping her multiple times. The attackers also filmed the abuse and threatened to distribute the footage if the victim dared to go to the authorities.

Despite the seriousness of the crime, the consequences of this case were deeply disturbing. After the police investigation and trial, none of the 44 attackers were criminally charged. The court justified this decision by arguing that the perpetrators were “minors with no criminal record.” Most of the attackers were only sentenced to voluntary service or sent to juvenile detention centers, so they got away with virtually no criminal record.

The court’s verdict added insult to injury by noting that “the rape was not a serious offence” and that “some of the young men may have acted impulsively out of sexual curiosity or peer pressure.” The judges also noted that the perpetrators had “career or educational plans” that needed to be taken into account.

Now, 20 years later, the Miryang sexual assault case has come to light again, sparking renewed outrage in South Korean society. On June 1, a “Cyber-Wrecker” YouTube channel began gradually revealing the identities of the 44 attackers. The revelations led to immediate consequences: the employers of the first three named people confirmed their dismissal.

This latest development has sparked a controversial debate among Korean netizens. Some believe that the attackers deserve to have their identities revealed and face the consequences of their actions, even after two decades. They argue that true justice has not been served and that the perpetrators should not be allowed to live their lives without consequences.


Others have raised concerns about the ethical implications of this action, particularly the potential impact on the victim and their family. Representatives of the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center have stated that the “cyber wrecker” did not seek permission from the victim’s family before releasing the information, potentially causing even more trauma to the person who has the “right to be forgotten.”