The Surge of Deepfake Pornography in South Korea
The frustration was evident. For the second time in a few years, women in South Korea came together in Seoul to demand an end to sexual abuse. Having already led Asia’s #The MeToo movement with their fight against Molka hidden cameras capturing women without their permission were now directing their anger toward the rising issue of Deepfake Crisis
For Juhee Jin, 26, a women’s rights advocate from Seoul, the emergence of this new threat—where women and girls are once again targeted—was unfortunately anticipated. “This problem should have been addressed much earlier,” says Jin, who is also a translator. “I hope the authorities will take action to tackle it and provide proper education to help prevent these crimes.”
The Impact of Deepfake Pornography
This week, the National Police Agency revealed that it is investigating 513 cases of deepfake pornography. In these instances, the faces of real women and girls are digitally inserted onto other bodies without their knowledge or consent. Yonhap News Agency reports that this represents a 70% increase in just 40 days, underscoring the country’s continuing struggle to combat the misuse of digital technology for sexually abusing women and girls.
Recent reports of a sharp rise in deep fake porn have triggered a new wave of self-reflection in a country famous for its positive impact on global pop culture, but now stained by its reputation as the world’s hub for digital sex crimes.
In this situation, it’s difficult to know exactly how many people have been affected, but if things continue as they are, South Korea could see a new record by the end of the year. The number of cases involving deep fake porn has been increasing: there were 156 cases in 2021 and 180 in 2023.
The victims are mostly young women and girls, including students, teachers, and soldiers, with nearly two-thirds being teenagers last year. Local media reports indicate that the offenders are frequently minors as well. According to Yonhap, teenagers made up 79% of those detained in the first nine months of this year.
The size of the issue has shocked many people in South Korea. One Telegram chatroom famous for making and sharing fake pornography supposedly had 220,000 members, and another had more than 400,000 users. Some of these groups even told members to embarrass or make women feel bad by using deep fakes.
The Social and Legal Response
Years after South Korea gained global attention for its molka problem, the government is under increasing pressure to address the latest surge in online sexual offenses. A large protest is planned in Seoul on September 21.
The World’s Deepfake Capital
South Korea is sadly known for being the country most impacted by fake pornography created using deep learning technology. A 2023 report from Security Hero, a U.S. company that helps protect people from identity theft, found that 53% of the people shown in these fake videos around the world are South Korean female singers and actors.
At the same time, Telegram is now part of a police investigation. The country’s media regulator plans to talk with Telegram’s team to figure out a joint plan to handle the problem. Also, the education ministry has formed a special group to look into incidents at schools, teach kids how to protect their pictures, and help those who have been affected.
John McGuire, a philosophy professor at Hanyang University, believes that digital ethics education alone isn’t enough to address AI-related issues. “South Korea has become a test case for this challenge,” he says. “We will need to use every tool at our disposal to tackle both current and future problems related to AI technology.”
Telegram, whose founder was recently arrested in a French investigation into child sexual abuse, apologized “if there had been any misunderstanding.” The platform stated it had removed dozens of videos, including some at the request of South Korea’s media watchdog. The South Korean government announced plans to advocate for stricter laws to criminalize the purchase or viewing of sexually exploitative deepfakes.
Campaigners argue that these measures are unlikely to reduce the demand for digitally altered sexually explicit material. With some of the fastest average internet speeds and high smartphone usage rates, South Korea’s mix of advanced AI technology, widespread Telegram use, and lenient laws has worsened the issue.
On Thursday, the country’s prime minister, Han Duck-soo, attributed the crisis to the “abnormal development” of social media and advancements in AI, rather than any shortcomings in government action.
The Need for Comprehensive Action
Judges, prosecutors, police, and lawmakers in South Korea, many of whom are men, often do not take these crimes seriously enough. Women who turn to the police for help are frequently dismissed, re-traumatized, or even ridiculed. Moreover, there is very little sexuality education in South Korean schools, leaving young people without a proper understanding of how wrong this behavior is.
The crisis has impacted online behavior, with reports indicating that many children are either removing photos from social media or deactivating their accounts.
For Further Details, Visit Our Website!