On Tuesday, the Gender Equality and Family Committee in South Korea passed legislation aimed at protecting children and youth from deepfake pornography. This bill, which includes amendments concerning the punishment of sexual crimes and the protection of juveniles, is set to be finalized in a plenary session on September 26.
During the meeting, the standing committee acknowledged that current law mandates a minimum prison sentence of one year for individuals who threaten children and youth with sexually exploitative content. However, under the proposed amendments, this minimum sentence will increase to three years. Furthermore, the penalties for infringing on the rights of minors or coercing them into sexual acts will be raised from a minimum of three years to that of five years. The revisions also broaden the definition of juvenile sex trafficking to encompass all forms of deepfake abusive content, reflecting a stronger commitment to protecting vulnerable youth.
The committee announced that under the revised legislation, the minimum punishment for individuals who threaten children and youth with sexually exploitative content will increase to three years in prison, up from the current minimum of one year. The amendments further elevate the penalties for using child exploitation to coerce specific behaviors through assault and intimidation, raising the minimum sentence from three years to at least five years. The revisions expand the scope to encompass all forms of deepfake abusive content, which includes the manipulation of existing images or videos to create fake sexually explicit material.
The amendment permits police to conduct urgent undercover investigations without prior approval, even during nights, weekends, or holidays, from the very moment when deepfake abusive content involving children and youth is identified. Currently, officers must obtain authorization from a superior before approaching a suspect without revealing their identity. This requirement can lead to delays, particularly during off-hours, hindering timely evidence collection and postponing arrests and convictions.
Additionally, the committee tasked the state with the responsibility of removing illegal images and supporting victims in their recovery from the trauma of exploitation. They also approved legislation to establish a center dedicated to removing victims’ personal information from the internet and preventing deepfake crimes from occurring in the first place.
Also on Tuesday, the National Office of Investigation revealed the results of a four-year undercover operation targeting digital sexual crimes against children and youth. The operation was conducted from September 24, 2021, to August 31, 2024. According to police, 1,348 suspects were arrested for creating and distributing illegal content involving children and youth through these investigations. In total, 1,030 people were involved in the sale and distribution of such content.
Police stated that they conduct undercover investigations by disguising their identities or remaining anonymous. They explained that these methods are necessary to apprehend suspects using encrypted messaging platforms, such as Telegram, which do not provide data or assistance for police investigations.
In August, the Ministry of Education established a task force to actively address deepfake crimes. Following this initiative, the ministry reported on September 19 that there were 617 victims of deepfake composites in schools so far this year, with teenage students accounting for 588 of the total victims.
Related article: AI expert highlights surge in deepfake pornography crimes
Seoul, South Korea—2024 AI Security Day Seminar—An attorney specializing in artificial intelligence stated Thursday that nearly all deepfake crimes involve pornography, with female victims being the most common targets. The lawyer emphasized the urgent need for legislation to address these crimes.
Lee Keun-woo, an attorney at Yoon and Yang LLC, highlighted the growing issue of deepfake cybercrimes at the 2024 AI Security Day Seminar organized by the Ministry of Science and ICT. He expressed concern over the rise of deepfake pornography in South Korea and emphasized the need for stronger regulations to address the problem.
Lee emphasized that 96% of deepfake crimes involve pornography, with women being the primary targets. He noted that requests to remove abusive sexual content quadrupled from January to July 2024 compared to the previous year and warned the situation could worsen in 2025.
The attorney pointed out that these crimes persist because there is ongoing demand for deepfake pornography. He stressed that efforts must be made to stop the consumption of such content. READ MORE
