YouTuber Tzuyang (real name Park Jung-won), who has 12.5 million subscribers, stepped forward to reveal the extent of the damage caused by cyber racketeering.
On the 14th, Tzuyang attended the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee's audit and testified about the need for institutional improvements regarding cyber racketeering victims.
Tzuyang first stated, "During the cyber racketeering incident, I was in such a fearful and hopeless situation that I couldn't do anything," and added, "Honestly, I was so afraid of their (cyber racketeers') retaliation that I couldn't respond at all, and I couldn't even file a lawsuit."
He continued, "I am very grateful that many people have shown interest in this incident and there are many who are helping," and mentioned, "It would be difficult for ordinary citizens to raise funds for (lawsuits) while managing their livelihoods."
He also testified about not receiving prompt assistance from platforms like YouTube during the incident.
When Representative Choi Hyung-doo from the People Power Party asked, "Did YouTube respond quickly to this issue?" Tzuyang replied, "Honestly, I think it wasn't easy. The speed of video dissemination is very fast, and even if the deletion process is carried out, it is very difficult to clear up misunderstandings when hundreds of thousands of people see it in just one day."
He stated that the time taken to delete the videos he reported as problematic ranged from "as short as one week to some videos that were never deleted at all."
Representative Kim Jang-gyeom from the same party emphasized, "There is a need to improve the structure where cyber racketeers pinpoint coordinates and generate profits."
Tzuyang was extorted out of tens of millions of won by cyber racketeering YouTubers such as Goojeyuk, Jujakgambeolsa, and Karakula.
Goojeyuk, involved in this case, was sentenced to three years in prison in the appeals court, while Jujakgambeolsa received a one-year prison sentence with a three-year probation. Karakula, who was indicted as an accomplice, received a one-year prison sentence, three years of probation, and 240 hours of community service, while Crocodile was fined 5 million won.
[Ji Seung-hoon, Star Today Reporter]
