The blog account of Cho Joo-bin, 31, who is serving a finalized sentence of 47 years and 4 months on charges including the rape of minors and the production and distribution of sexual exploitation materials, was shut down on the 10th. After Cho drew controversy by boasting about a certificate he received in prison through his blog, the blog operator permanently blocked the blog.
When accessing the Tistory blog believed to be run by Cho on the 10th, a notice appears saying "Blog creation and operation in violation of the terms of service," along with the phrase "Access-restricted blog." The blocking appears to have been implemented as controversy spread online after a post revealing a certificate Cho received in prison circulated.
Cho is currently imprisoned at North Gyeongsang Northern No. 1 Prison in Cheongsong, North Gyeongsang (formerly Cheongsong Prison). In Oct. 2021, Cho received a finalized sentence of 42 years and 4 months on charges including producing and distributing sexual exploitation materials of minors through the Telegram "Doctor's Room." Separately from the Doctor's Room case, he was additionally indicted for raping a victim who was a minor and producing sexual exploitation materials, and in Dec. last year received a finalized sentence of 5 years. As a result, Cho's total incarceration period increased to 47 years and 4 months.
Earlier, on the 20th of last month, Cho posted an article titled "acceptance speech" on this blog and uploaded a photo of the certificate. The blog was created in Jan. 2024 through a representative, and was operated by having the representative transcribe letters written by Cho from prison.
At the time, Cho said, "It was in recognition of sincere participation in the education program for three weeks," and added, "It's not an award that every trainee can receive, and it's a 'proper award' that even comes with a box of cup noodles as a prize, so I think it's worth bragging about. I told my family to stick it on the refrigerator at home."
He continued, "Winning an award is a good feeling. It's an emotion that comes from having one's efforts recognized," adding, "An award can go to someone unlucky, and it gives even greater strength to someone who is underprivileged and unhappy. The commendation I received is meaningful in that way."
He went on, "It is a treasure map and a treasure that awakens the courage that I can do it too and makes me grip the helm of life more firmly," adding, "I had never received an award during my school days. For someone like me to receive an award only after coming to prison feels quite different."
Lastly, Cho revealed a rolling paper he received from cellmates. The rolling paper contained messages such as "You always seemed to live with a positive mindset," "It must be hard, but you'll gain a lot of insights in life," "I hope the remaining time passes without trouble," and "Hang in there with your prison term."
After Cho's post spread through online communities and social media (SNS), users criticized it, saying, "Victims are still suffering, yet there is no remorse," "I don't know what the intention is in posting something close to self-glorification," and "What's the reason for giving a certificate to a criminal like that."
As the controversy persisted, Tistory permanently blocked Cho's account the previous day. Through its operating policy, Tistory restricts ▲ posting information that violates public order and morals, and ▲ distributing content that runs counter to public order or good customs.