[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] With the legalization of 'undercover investigations' targeting digital sex crimes against children and adolescents, the police have strengthened their organization and personnel significantly to establish an all-out response system.
The National Police Agency announced on the 18th that ahead of the implementation of the revised Youth Protection Act scheduled for September, it has organized a task force (TF) and reinforced research personnel, thereby reorganizing its manpower and structure.
The core of the revised law is to criminally punish so-called 'online grooming,' which involves repeated sexual conversations aimed at sexually exploiting children and adolescents, and to introduce an undercover investigation system for digital sex crimes against children and adolescents.
In particular, the introduction of undercover investigations is expected to bring significant changes in responding to sex crimes against children and adolescents. Undercover investigations are divided into 'identity non-disclosure investigations,' where police officers conceal their identity and approach as buyers of sexual exploitation materials to collect evidence, and 'identity disguise investigations,' which can even involve creating identification for virtual personas.
For identity non-disclosure investigations, the methods of investigation, procedures and methods for approval by the head of the investigative department of a higher police agency, and the contents and methods of reporting to the National Police Commission and the National Assembly as control mechanisms are delegated to be stipulated by Presidential Decree. Regarding identity disguise investigations, it is stipulated that approval must be obtained from the court following a prosecutor's request.
The revised law passed the Cabinet meeting on the 16th of this month and is pending promulgation. Once promulgated, it is expected to be fully enforced around mid-September, six months later.
In line with this, the police have formed a TF team led by the head of the Cyber Investigation Bureau and plan to prepare guidelines through consultations and discussions with related organizations.
Additionally, as South Korea is the sole funding country, the police plan to dispatch one cyber investigation expert at the rank of superintendent to the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO, Interpol) to connect with the 'Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crime Response Project (FACE, Fight Against Children Exploitation),' which has been ongoing since March last year. Through this, they aim to strengthen international cooperation for eradicating digital sex crimes against children and adolescents, protecting victims, and preventing crimes.
A police official emphasized, "In line with the legalization of undercover investigations, we will actively participate in international cooperation activities through international organizations such as Interpol, and with strong determination, we will respond comprehensively so that digital sex crimes against children and adolescents cannot take root not only in our country but anywhere in the world."
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