Government Strengthens Sentences for Deepfake Sexual Exploitation Materials... Punishment Even for Possession

Enforcement Immediately After Publication of the Punishment Act in the Official Gazette

The government has passed a bill to punish individuals who possess or even just view deepfake sexual exploitation materials. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo emphasized the need to spread social awareness that this is a serious crime.

On the 10th, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo presided over a Cabinet meeting at the Government Seoul Office and stated, "It is very important to quickly spread social awareness that sexual fake videos are a serious crime." He added, "One of the major difficulties in responding to deepfake sexual crimes is that many perpetrators are teenage minors who lack awareness that producing and distributing sexual fake videos is a serious crime. Crimes committed under the pretext of mere curiosity must never be overlooked and should be actively addressed."

At the Cabinet meeting that day, the government approved the "Partial Amendment to the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes." The amendment establishes punishment provisions for those who possess, purchase, store, or view sexual fake videos. In such cases, the main penalty is imprisonment for up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million won.

Additionally, the statutory penalties for editing and distributing deepfake sexual exploitation materials were increased from up to five years to up to seven years, and for commercial purposes, the penalty was strengthened from imprisonment of up to seven years to fixed-term imprisonment of at least three years. Furthermore, a punishment provision was created for threats using deepfake sexual exploitation materials, imposing imprisonment for at least one year.

At the Cabinet meeting, the "Amendment to the Act on the Protection of Sexual Violence Victims," which specifies the state's responsibility for deleting materials related to deepfake sexual crimes and illegal filming and supporting victims' daily recovery, and the "Amendment to the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth from Sexual Offenses," which strengthens police investigative authority along with punishing perpetrators for threats and coercion against children and youth, were also passed together. Among the three promulgation bills related to deepfake sexual crimes, the punishment law will be enforced immediately after presidential approval and publication in the official gazette.