Complaints on deepfake sex crimes surge in South Korea

Complaints related to deepfake sex crimes have surged in South Korea this year, government data showed Thursday.

From January to October, an average of 50 complaints per month related to deepfake sex crimes were reported to public complaint platforms, such as the state-run e-People website and local government channels, according to data compiled by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. This represents a 1.7-fold increase from the 30 monthly complaints reported on average in 2023.

Deepfakes refer to the use of digital technology, particularly artificial intelligence, to generate manipulated photos, videos or audio files. They are often used to create harmful and sexually explicit content that is distributed online without the consent of the individuals involved.

The complaints ranged from reports of deepfake sex crimes to requests to delete the content, stricter penalties, improved response measures and better education on digital sex crimes.

The surge was particularly noticeable in August, when complaints reached 213 -- 6.1 times higher than the 35 complaints filed in August 2023. This coincided with increased public scrutiny of deepfake-related sex crimes, with President Yoon Suk Yeol's order for a police crackdown on deepfake pornography.