Deepfake and RPS, Evolving 'Cyber Sexual Violence'... Police Launch Large-Scale Crackdown

Intensive Crackdown on Illegal Distribution Networks and Distribution Offenders Until October

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The police are launching a large-scale crackdown on various forms of cyber sexual violence, including child and adolescent sexual exploitation materials and deepfake pornography.

The National Police Agency's National Investigation Headquarters announced on the 1st that from the 2nd of this month until October 31, they will conduct an intensive crackdown on 'illegal distribution networks and distributors of cyber sexual violence materials.'

The main targets of the crackdown are suppliers who produce and distribute illegal sexual exploitation materials through secure messengers like Telegram and the dark web, as well as ▲sexual exploitation materials ▲illegal filming materials ▲illegal synthetic materials, and users who purchase, possess, or view such content.

Since last year's 'Telegram Nth Room' case, the police have arrested 3,575 cyber sexual violence offenders through the operation of the Digital Sexual Crime Special Investigation Headquarters, and to eradicate illegal synthetic materials using deepfake technology, they have been conducting an intensive crackdown on false video production and distribution offenders until April.

However, with the emergence of new crimes such as crimes using messengers like Discord and the production of sexual expression materials like 'Alpes,' the police have decided to expand the scope and targets of the crackdown.

The police have adopted a strategy to fundamentally block both the demand and supply factors of cyber sexual violence crimes, focusing on dedicated teams at each metropolitan police agency and cyber teams at police stations. They will analyze investigation clues and track criminals using the Cyber Crime Reporting System (ECRM) and illegal filming tracking system, and block criminal intent by confiscating and preserving criminal proceeds before prosecution.

Additionally, they will conduct multifaceted promotional activities and crime prevention through institutional improvements. Considering that 30.5% of perpetrators and 60.7% of victims were teenagers or younger according to last year's Digital Sexual Crime Special Investigation Headquarters operation results, they will significantly strengthen sexual crime prevention education targeting youth and work with related ministries to improve institutional issues discovered during investigations.

A National Police Agency official emphasized, "Following last year's Nth Room incident, we will apply newly established or strengthened laws to simultaneously suppress and block both demand and supply. We will strictly crack down not only on producers and distributors of sexual exploitation materials but also on buyers and possessors to eradicate cyber sexual violence."