Police vow to crack down on deepfake sex crimes l KBS WORLD

Photo: YONHAP News

Police have vowed to crack down on sex crimes involving deepfake technology, following the rise in cases in recent years.

The Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) announced Tuesday that it will launch an intensive seven-month campaign against deepfakes starting Wednesday. Cybersex crime investigators from municipal and provincial police departments will work to stamp out the illegal use of deepfakes during that time, and the KNPA will use deepfake detection software to support their work.

Deepfakes depicting underage victims are classified as child and adolescent sexual exploitation material under the Protection of Children and Young People against Sexual Offences Act, the agency said.

The number of cases related to deepfake videos has increased every year for the past four years, the agency said, from 156 cases in 2021 to 297 cases in 2024 (July 2024).

In 2021, 78 people were charged in connection with allegations of deepfake sex crimes. In July, the figure for 2024 stood at 178.