South Korea cracks down on deepfake porn with tougher penalties and social media fines

South Korea introduced sweeping measures on Wednesday to combat the rise of deepfake pornography, announcing tougher penalties, expanded undercover operations, and new social media regulations. 

The move comes amid increasing concerns about nonconsensual, digitally manipulated explicit videos. 

In August, lists claiming to identify victims' schools circulated online, leaving many women and girls fearful; some removed content from their social media accounts, while others held protests, calling for action.

In response, President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered authorities to “root out these digital sexual crimes.” This led to a seven-month police crackdown, set to continue until March 2025. 

A government task force noted that officials are collaborating with lawmakers to revise existing laws, aiming to intensify penalties for deepfake-related crimes. A recent amendment now criminalizes even the possession or viewing of deepfake porn, carrying up to three years in prison. Those who produce or distribute such content now face a maximum of seven years.

More than 500 suspects, predominantly aged 10 to 19, have been detained this year. Recognizing the prevalence of teenage offenders, the government has authorized undercover online investigations, which previously focused on cases involving minors.

Additionally, it plans to seize profits earned from deepfake porn and enforce fines against social media platforms that fail to curb the spread of illegal content.

The task force also aims to raise the number of content monitors on social platforms from 12 to 26.

New educational initiatives will focus on digital sex crimes, featuring videos with celebrities to reach younger audiences. 

Most deepfake porn offenders in South Korea are reportedly teenage boys who target female friends or acquaintances as pranks or due to misogynistic attitudes.

Experts believe the issue underscores gaps in sex and human rights education, inadequate regulations on social media for minors, and societal norms that objectify women. The rise of deepfake porn in South Korea has highlighted a need for school reform and sparked further concerns over gender divides, according to observers.