South Korean President
Yoon Suk Yeol
has urged a thorough investigation into digital sex crimes following media reports claiming that sexually explicit
deepfake
images and videos of the countryâs women were frequently found in
Telegram
chat rooms.
As per a report by South Korean news agency Yonhap, it has been discovered that numerous Telegram chat rooms are involved in the creation and distribution of deepfake pornography featuring ordinary women.
This discovery has sparked widespread fear and anger.
The report also claimed that these chat rooms, some with memberships exceeding 133,000, have targeted a broad range of victims, including minors, students, teachers and even military personnel.
Yoon talked about sex crimes on social media during a televised cabinet meeting. His comments were general and he did not mention Telegram by name.
âIt's an exploitation of technology while relying on the protection of anonymity. It's a clear criminal act,â Yoon said.
The Korea Communications Standards Commission , the state media regulator, is scheduled to meet on Wednesday (August 28) to discuss strategies to combat sexually explicit deepfakes.
These reports emerged around the same time as the arrest of Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of Telegram, over the weekend. His arrest is part of a French investigation into child pornography, drug trafficking and fraud on the encrypted messaging app.
According to South Korean police, online deepfake sex crimes have surged, with 297 cases reported in the first seven months of this year, up from 180 last year and nearly double the number in 2021 when data collection began. Most of the accused are teenagers and people in their 20s.
Sexually explicit deepfakes targeting female military personnel have also been found in Telegram chatrooms, according to the Military Sexual Abuse Victim Support Center, which supports victims of sexual abuse in the military, news agency Reuters reported.
As per a report by South Korean news agency Yonhap, it has been discovered that numerous Telegram chat rooms are involved in the creation and distribution of deepfake pornography featuring ordinary women.
The report also claimed that these chat rooms, some with memberships exceeding 133,000, have targeted a broad range of victims, including minors, students, teachers and even military personnel.
What South Korean President has to say
âIt's an exploitation of technology while relying on the protection of anonymity. It's a clear criminal act,â Yoon said.
The Korea Communications Standards Commission , the state media regulator, is scheduled to meet on Wednesday (August 28) to discuss strategies to combat sexually explicit deepfakes.
These reports emerged around the same time as the arrest of Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of Telegram, over the weekend. His arrest is part of a French investigation into child pornography, drug trafficking and fraud on the encrypted messaging app.
According to South Korean police, online deepfake sex crimes have surged, with 297 cases reported in the first seven months of this year, up from 180 last year and nearly double the number in 2021 when data collection began. Most of the accused are teenagers and people in their 20s.
Sexually explicit deepfakes targeting female military personnel have also been found in Telegram chatrooms, according to the Military Sexual Abuse Victim Support Center, which supports victims of sexual abuse in the military, news agency Reuters reported.
