The accused reportedly discovered the underage victims drinking alcohol and threatened to report them to school authorities.

According to police, a few days after the encounter, a group of 10 suspects summoned the victims at night to a wooded hill where they coerced the victims into drinking.

When one of the victims lost consciousness, four suspects allegedly raped her.

A similar attack involving forced drinking took place a few days later, police said, this time with a group of 22 suspects, 6 of whom are accused of committing rape. The other 12 either conspired in the wrongdoing or attempted rape but failed when the victims resisted.

The victims reportedly suffered post traumatic stress and depression, and had difficulties sustaining regular lives. One of them halted her studies and went into hiding.

The suspects on the other hand were found to have gone on to college or held jobs, leading otherwise average lives up until their arrest.

The police said they discovered and tracked down the crime while investigating a separate case in which three of the suspects were involved.

Of the 22 suspects, four were arrested for rape while six were booked without detention for conspiring in the violence.

Twelve other suspects who are accused of rape are currently serving compulsory military duty, and will be referred to military judicial institutes once the police investigation is complete.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)