Revenge-for-hire group indicted after leaving dead cat, human waste at victims' doors
Published: 30 Apr. 2026, 13:57
![An AI-generated image of a revenge-for-hire service [CHATGPT]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/04/30/c13db837-60ea-47de-ade1-1cf1ca506403.jpg)
An AI-generated image of a revenge-for-hire service [CHATGPT]
A group accused of operating a Telegram channel offering private revenge services has been found to have carried out grotesque acts, including leaving a dead cat and human feces in front of a victim’s door. The group operated nationwide, including in Seoul, Busan and Taebaek in Gangwon, and the number of confirmed victims is believed to be in the dozens.
A total of three individuals — two operators of an online private investigation service and one employee of a delivery platform subcontractor — were indicted by prosecutors on charges such as violations of the information and communications law, trespassing and property damage on April 20.
The three reportedly conspired with an operator who ran a revenge-for-hire Telegram channel to carry out the crimes. The whereabouts of the operator have not yet been identified, and all previous posts on the channel have been deleted. However, the channel name was changed and signs of activity by the operator were detected on Tuesday, raising the possibility of further crimes.
The group conducted retaliatory attacks against a total of 24 people from November last year through March based on illegally obtained personal information, according to an indictment from the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office obtained by the JoongAng Ilbo on Wednesday.
![An image of private revenge-for-hire affected site shared on Telegram [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/04/30/4c1ef8a2-8656-4c79-81f0-f781c5b3be8b.jpg)
An image of private revenge-for-hire affected site shared on Telegram [SCREEN CAPTURE]
The methods of the crimes detailed in the indictment were oftentimes atrocious, involving vandalism, dead animals and human feces at victims’ doors.
In February, for instance, a dead cat was left at the front door of a villa in Geumcheon District, southern Seoul, along with human feces. In the same month, the group sprayed paint on the front door of an apartment in Gwangju and smeared doenjang (fermented soybean paste) on it.
The group accepted revenge requests from unspecified clients and committed crimes 25 times, including throwing human waste in front of victims’ residences. The affected areas included not only the Seoul metropolitan region — such as Incheon, Siheung and Paju in Gyeonggi — but also provincial areas such as Busan, Andong in North Gyeongsang and Taebaek in Gangwon.
The operation was carried out with a strict division of roles. The defendants had originally run an online private investigation business that provided personal information for a fee. After learning about the revenge-for-hire Telegram channel, they approached the operator and proposed working together, saying they could provide personal details such as the addresses of targets. The investigators would obtain victims’ personal information and pass it to the operator, who would then dispatch so-called agents to carry out the retaliatory attacks.
In some cases, however, people unrelated to the intended targets were harmed due to misinformation.
A total of 11 out of the 25 incidents took place not at the targets’ homes but at addresses belonging to family members, acquaintances or neighbors, according to the indictment. These unrelated individuals became victims because the group had incorrectly identified the targets’ addresses.
![A telegram chatroom for a private revenge-for-hire service [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/04/30/7e83fe7e-2516-44ae-8dff-14d8835c4c2f.jpg)
A telegram chatroom for a private revenge-for-hire service [SCREEN CAPTURE]
One member of the group worked as a rider call center agent at a subcontractor of the delivery platform Baedal Minjok, known as Baemin. The call center agent was responsible for obtaining the address information of the revenge targets. Rider call center agents can access a computer telephony integration system which allows them to view users’ personal information and order details.
The call center agent leaked addresses 23 times and passed them to accomplices, according to the indictment. However, because addresses were inferred from delivery locations, the group sometimes mistook the homes of acquaintances or neighbors for those of the intended targets, leading to attacks at the wrong locations.
![A Baedal Minjok, known as Baemin, rider delivers takeout food. The image is not related to the article. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/04/30/8ee1dea3-e39c-4dae-9375-66c8de1d91b1.jpg)
A Baedal Minjok, known as Baemin, rider delivers takeout food. The image is not related to the article. [NEWS1]
While the prosecutors are finding the whereabouts of the operator, the Yangcheon Police Precinct in western Seoul conducted search and seizure operations on April 24 targeting more than 40 institutions, including the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the National Health Insurance Service. This was to determine whether the group illegally accessed personal and insurance information through these institutions.
Police also identified indications of personal data leaks from major telecommunications companies and courier and delivery firms and carried out related search and seizure operations there as well.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HAN CHAN-WOO [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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