Possession, Purchase, and Viewing of 'Deepfake' All Punishable... Government to Promote Legislation

Raising Production and Distribution Punishment Standards... Considering Expansion of Undercover Investigations

The government has decided to introduce new regulations that punish the possession, purchase, and viewing of false videos such as 'Deepfake,' and to promote legal amendments that raise the punishment standards for the production and distribution of deepfake content.

On the 30th, the Office for Government Policy Coordination held the first inter-ministerial meeting at the Government Complex Seoul with related ministries to establish legislative measures to respond to deepfake sex crimes. Earlier, the police began a focused crackdown on deepfake sex crimes starting from the 28th. Additionally, the prosecution and police are considering plans to strengthen investigative personnel and organizations to respond to deepfake sex crimes and to expand undercover investigations.

On the 30th, a School Police Officer (SPO) is conducting education on preventing deepfake sexual exploitation crimes for students at Siji Middle School in Suseong-gu, Daegu.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

At the meeting, additional necessary bills, including the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes, were reviewed to expand the scope of undercover investigations. Furthermore, as deepfake sex crimes are rapidly spreading among teenagers and in schools, the Ministry of Education decided to prepare specific countermeasures in educational settings, such as strengthening preventive education within schools.

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Communications Commission agreed to promptly commercialize additional deepfake detection technologies to prevent the easy production, distribution, and spread of deepfake videos online and to ensure the swift deletion of illegal videos.

Moreover, the government plans to integrate and provide guidance on the currently separately operated reporting methods by each ministry so that victims can easily report and quickly receive necessary support. Measures to strengthen victim support, including deletion of false videos and counseling, legal, and medical assistance, will also be reviewed.

In addition, the government intends to cooperate with the National Assembly to ensure that laws related to the punishment of deepfake false videos and victim support are promptly enacted and amended. The government plans to gather additional opinions from experts and the private sector and prepare a comprehensive inter-ministerial plan by October.