Deepfake Sex Crime Crisis in Korea: What Victims Need to Know

In just one year, 3,557 people were arrested for deepfake sex crimes in South Korea. Perhaps most alarming: 61.8% of suspects were teenagers. The post-"Nth Room" Telegram-based deepfake crime ecosystem remains active, with 92% of victims being teens and young adults in their 10s and 20s.

The Scale of the Crisis

2025 Key Statistics

Metric	Figure
Annual arrests	3,557
Teenage suspects	61.8%
Victim age group	92% teens/20s
School violence classification	Included via 2025 law amendment

Strengthened Penalties

Under the amended Sexual Violence Punishment Act, penalties for deepfake sexual content have been significantly increased:

• Creating deepfake sexual content: Up to 5 years imprisonment or 50 million KRW fine
• Distributing: Even harsher penalties apply
• Schools now legally classify deepfake as school violence (2025 law amendment)

How These Crimes Work

• Facial photos collected from social media
• AI tools used to create sexual synthetic videos/images
• Distributed and traded in Telegram group chats
• Sent directly to victims as blackmail

What to Do Immediately If You're a Victim

Step 1: Preserve Evidence (Most Critical)

Item to Preserve	Method
Screenshots	Capture posts, conversations, profiles
URLs	Record exact URLs where content was posted
Timestamps	Note discovery time and posting time
Account information	Save perpetrator's username, ID, profile
File downloads	If possible, save the content file (for legal evidence)

Step 2: Report

Agency	Contact	Role
Police	112	Criminal investigation
Digital Sex Crime Victim Support Center	02-735-8994	Deletion support, counseling
Korea Women's Human Rights Institute	Website submission	Legal and psychological support
Korea Communications Standards Commission	Online submission	Overseas site deletion requests

Step 3: Request Deletion

• Digital Sex Crime Victim Support Center provides 24-hour deletion support
• Report directly to platforms (Telegram, Twitter/X)
• Request removal from Google search results (Google Legal Removal Request form)

Prevention Measures

Strengthen Social Media Security

1. Limit profile photo visibility: Set to friends-only
2. Minimize high-resolution frontal photos: These are used to create deepfakes
3. Watermark images: Add semi-transparent watermarks to photos
4. Set accounts to private: Switch Instagram, Facebook to private mode
5. Remove location data: Strip EXIF data from photos before posting

Protecting Minors

• Check children's social media privacy settings
• Teach them to reject follow requests from strangers
• Educate about reporting to adults immediately if victimized
• Since deepfake is classified as school violence, it can be reported to schools too

Sharing Evidence Safely with Legal Counsel

When sharing deepfake evidence with lawyers or police, sending it through iMessage or email risks additional exposure. Using LOCK.PUB's password-protected links:

• Encrypt evidence with a password so only your lawyer can access it
• Set expiration times to limit how long evidence remains accessible
• Use anonymous chat rooms for safe victim support group communication

LOCK.PUB's encrypted chat feature provides a safe space for victim support groups to communicate. Only those with the password can join, blocking perpetrator access.

Legal Action Steps

1. File criminal complaint with police: Submit with preserved evidence
2. Digital forensics: Police conduct professional digital forensic analysis
3. Court-appointed attorney: Sex crime victims can receive free legal representation
4. Civil damages claim: File civil lawsuit for compensation from the perpetrator

Final Thoughts

Deepfake sex crimes can happen to anyone. The most important steps are to preserve evidence immediately and report it. If you've been victimized, don't suffer alone — contact the Digital Sex Crime Victim Support Center at 02-735-8994.

When you need to store and share evidence securely, LOCK.PUB can help.

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Emergency Contacts: Police 112 | Digital Sex Crime Victim Support 02-735-8994 | Women's Emergency Hotline 1366