Police to launch intensive crackdown on deepfake sex crimes

National 16:56 August 27, 2024

SEOUL, Aug. 27 (Yonhap) -- Police will carry out an intensive crackdown on deepfake sex images as a recent series of such crimes stoked fears that any woman could fall victim, officials said Tuesday.

During the seven-month crackdown set to begin Wednesday, police will aggressively hunt down those who produce and spread such images, especially those of children and teens, the National Police Agency said.

According to the police agency, 297 cases of deepfake sexual exploitation crimes were reported nationwide from January and July. Among 178 people charged, 73.6 percent, or 113 individuals, were known to be teenagers.

Political parties and rights groups also called for stern punishment and an active investigation.

"Fear is growing, with nearly 220,000 members estimated to have participated in these deepfake porn chat rooms on Telegram," said Son Sol, a co-chair of the minor opposition Progressive Party's task force on the issue.

Revelations of such chat rooms sparked public fear after numerous chat rooms on Telegram were suspected of creating and distributing deepfake pornographic material with doctored photos of ordinary women. The victims include minors, university students, teachers and even military personnel.

The sexual abuse counseling center under the Center for Military Human Rights Korea, a rights group for soldiers, urged the defense ministry to track down and sternly punish those involved in deepfake crimes targeting female soldiers.

"The perpetrators have used the photos of female soldiers wearing a military uniform to treat them solely as sexual beings," the counseling center added, comparing the crime to that of the Japanese military sexual slavery, also known as "comfort women."

Meanwhile, Women Link, a feminist movement group, denounced the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's effort to abolish the gender ministry and urged the government to come up with a comprehensive plan to resolve structural sexism and violence against women in the country.