Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok Orders Swift and Strict Response to Deepfake Digital Sex Crimes

"Digital Sex Crimes Are Social Character Assassination Crimes"
Orders for Detention Investigation, Increased Sentencing, and Active Appeals
Dedicated Digital Sex Crime Prosecutors Expanded from 18 to 31 Offices

Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok recently instructed a swift and strict response to digital sex crimes involving deepfake (Deepfake: fabricated composite photos and videos), which have emerged as a serious social issue.

On the 29th, Prosecutor General Lee presided over a video conference with digital sex crime-specialized prosecutors from prosecution offices nationwide at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, issuing these directives. During the meeting, measures to eradicate digital sex crimes and prevent victimization were discussed.

Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok presiding over the "National Prosecutors' Offices Digital Sex Crime Dedicated Prosecutors Video Conference" at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on the 29th. Photo by Supreme Prosecutors' Office

Prosecutor General Lee stated, "Digital sex crimes are social character assassination crimes, so respond swiftly and strictly to prevent their spread," and instructed prosecution offices nationwide to "strictly respond to digital sex crimes such as the production and distribution of fabricated videos, and make every effort to delete fabricated videos and protect and support victims."

He first ordered that during the investigation phase, ▲ suspects who produce fabricated videos targeting children and adolescents causing severe sexual shame or for commercial purposes should be detained in principle, ▲ if additional crimes such as illegal filming are suspected during the fabrication process, the entire crime should be thoroughly investigated and severely punished, and ▲ from the early stages of the case, close cooperation with the police should be established to respond swiftly and actively.

Additionally, at the trial stage, he instructed that the actual extent of harm caused by the distribution of fabricated videos should be mandatorily applied as an aggravating factor in sentencing and reflected in the prosecution's demands. He also directed prosecutors to actively present their opinions and, if the verdict falls short, to respond actively through appeals. In particular, Prosecutor General Lee instructed to actively consider appealing the accomplice in the Seoul National University Nth Room case, who was sentenced to five years in prison the previous day.

Finally, Prosecutor General Lee urged that if fabricated videos have been distributed or there is concern about their distribution, requests for support in deleting and blocking illegal videos should be actively made to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Cyber and Technical Crime Investigation Division or the Digital Sex Crime Victim Support Center to ensure thorough protection and support for victims.

According to the prosecution, the number of cases received involving 'editing and distribution of fabricated videos,' which synthesize photos and obscene materials to produce and distribute fabricated videos, increased by 157.1% from January to July this year compared to the same period last year.

Digital sex crimes involving the production and distribution of fabricated videos using technologies such as deepfake not only cause extreme humiliation to victims but also destroy their personality and soul. Recently, widespread harm has occurred targeting minors through illegal chat rooms opened under school names, shocking our society greatly.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office plans to respond more proactively to digital sex crimes by expanding the number of 'digital sex crime-specialized prosecutors' designated at 18 prosecution offices to 31 offices to strengthen specialized investigative capabilities and establish a rapid cooperation system with the police.

Furthermore, they plan to support legislative discussions thoroughly, including ▲ raising the statutory penalties for fabricated video editing crimes, ▲ deleting the purpose crime provision from the current 'distribution, etc. purposes' to expand the scope of punishment, and ▲ establishing a new crime for possession of fabricated videos, aiming to eradicate crimes related to fabricated videos.

A Supreme Prosecutors' Office official said, "Going forward, the prosecution will continue to strictly punish crimes based on the specialized response capabilities of digital sex crime-specialized prosecutors and do its best to request support for deleting and blocking illegal videos to help victims restore their daily lives."