Model Student Who Requested Illegal Synthesis Using Teacher's SNS Profile... Ultimately 'Forced Transfer'

A middle school student in Chungnam was found to have commissioned the illegal production of a deepfake using a teacher's photo, ultimately resulting in a forced transfer.

According to the Chungnam Office of Education and the police on the 30th, middle school student A requested the creation of an illegal deepfake using teacher B's photo via social networking services (SNS) last July. A was a model student who had received awards and commendations at school, but is reported to have secretly sent photos posted on B's SNS profile.

Upon learning of this, B reported the matter to the Regional Education Support Office's Teacher Rights Protection Committee, and recently, a forced transfer order was issued for A. However, the school to which A was transferred is not far from teacher B's workplace, causing B to express feelings of unease. The police have also received a complaint and launched an investigation into the case.

Meanwhile, the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union conducted an emergency survey over two days starting on the 27th, targeting about 2,500 students and teachers nationwide. The results showed that 517 individuals suffered direct or indirect harm due to deepfakes. Among them were 204 teachers, 304 students, and 9 education staff members. Additionally, 29 victims (16 teachers and 13 students) confirmed that illegal deepfake content was made using their own photos. Those who were threatened or learned of the harm through people around them numbered 488 (188 teachers, 291 students, and 9 education staff).

As technology advances and deepfake production becomes easier, the proportion of minors among perpetrators has noticeably increased. According to data submitted by the National Police Agency to Yang Bu-nam, a member of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee from the Democratic Party, the percentage of teenagers among suspects charged with false video crimes rose from 65.4% in 2021 and 61.2% in 2022 to 75.8% in 2023. The figure for January to July this year was also high at 73.6%.

However, the arrest rate remains quite low. The arrest rates for false video crimes over the past three years (arrests compared to occurrences) were 47.4% in 2021, 46.9% in 2022, and 51.7% in 2023, roughly half. For January to July this year, the rate was 49.5%, still below half.