Incheon court sentences illegal lenders to prison for sexual exploitation

Two men in their 50s have been sentenced to 18 months in prison by the Bucheon Branch of the Incheon District Court for operating illegal private lending businesses that targeted women through sexual exploitation.

The defendants operated without proper registration and charged exorbitant interest rates, with one case exceeding an annual percentage rate of 3,160%. To secure loans, the perpetrators demanded nude photographs, masturbation videos, and contact information for the victims' parents or acquaintances. They subsequently used the threat of distributing this sensitive material to blackmail victims when payments were delayed.

The court ruled that the defendants exploited the economic vulnerability of their victims, causing severe infringement on their sexual self-determination and significant psychological distress. In addition to prison sentences, the court ordered 40 hours of sexual violence treatment programs and a three-year employment ban at institutions involving children, adolescents, or persons with disabilities.