A New Frontline Against Digital Sexual Violence

Inside an airy office in Seoul, 23 women work as digital detectives for the National Center for Digital Sexual Crime Response. They trawl the internet for a specific scourge: AI-generated deepfake pornography, as well as spycam footage and intimate imagery shared without consent. Last year alone, on behalf of 10,600 people — three-quarters of them women and girls — the team pulled down 318,000 illicit videos and photos.

The center was founded in 2018, galvanized by tens of thousands of women who took to the streets to protest rampant spycam crimes. Since then, the threat has morphed. Security Hero, a web safety firm, reports that global deepfake circulation surged 550% between 2019 and 2023. Nearly 98% of that content was AI-generated pornography of women, and more than half the victims were South Korean.

While K-pop celebrities remain prime targets, the center’s specialists say ordinary women and girls are increasingly ensnared — with images growing more sophisticated and victims getting younger. The center fights back with its own AI tools, including a monitoring system that can detect exploitative material and messages aimed at minors.

Why South Korea's Response Is a Global Test Case

The Legal Arsenal and Its Limits

Deepfake pornography is illegal in South Korea, and penalties were tightened in 2024 after a series of Telegram chatrooms were exposed sharing AI-generated sexualised footage of acquaintances, classmates, colleagues and relatives. Possession now carries up to three years in prison, while creators face up to seven. Yet one victim told AFP that her deepfakes were circulated on encrypted apps beyond the reach of the center’s deletion specialists, illustrating the constant cat-and-mouse game with platforms and offenders.

A Cultural Problem Requiring Offline Solutions

Clare McGlynn, a law professor at Durham University, says Seoul is “leading the way on providing holistic support services and investing in the latest technology to try to reduce the harm,” calling it an example for the world. But campaigners caution that technology alone cannot solve the crisis. Kim Yeo-jin, head of the nonprofit Korea Cyber Sexual Violence Response Center, argues the root cause is a patriarchal culture that denies women dignity. “Unless we tackle this fundamental cause by fostering more gender equality in wider society and strengthening gender equality education at school, no amount of removal efforts will be enough,” she said.

Where to Turn if You're Targeted by Deepfakes

  • If you are a victim of digital sex crime in South Korea, the government-backed National Center for Digital Sexual Crime Response offers free deletion services, counselling, legal advice and help gathering evidence for prosecution. The center and its 17 regional hubs are directly accessible.
  • The 2024 legal reforms mean possessing deepfake pornography is a criminal offence punishable by up to three years in prison — a lever victims can use when pressing charges, even if the content is shared on encrypted apps.
  • The center’s own AI-powered monitoring tools can detect exploitative content targeting children, making rapid takedowns possible. Parents and schools are urged to report suspected material through official channels.
  • Experts and activists emphasize that lasting protection requires systemic gender equality education — a call to action for policymakers, schools and families to address the offline attitude that fuels online abuse.