Lawmakers blame lack of control tower behind surge in deepfake sex crimes

Main opposition calls for Gender Equality Ministry to bear more responsibility amid leadership vacuum

Acting Gender Equality Minister and Vice Gender Equality Minister Shin Young-sook speaks during a parliamentary hearing at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Wednesday. (Yonhap)

Both ruling and opposition lawmakers have recently highlighted the need for a solid control tower within the Cabinet to tackle the latest surge in digital sex crimes involving deepfake pornography, while criticizing the weak coordination among ministries tasked with handling the issue.

During a parliamentary hearing held by the National Assembly's Gender Equality and Family Committee on Wednesday, main opposition Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Kim Nam-hee blamed the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family's lack of authority in dealing with digital sex crimes, despite its responsibility to protect victims of sexual violence.

Rep. Kim's criticism comes as the ministry suffers a monthslong leadership vacuum, after President Yoon Suk Yeol in February accepted the resignation of now-former Gender Equality Minister Kim Hyun-sook. Yoon has yet to name her successor, which observers say is in line with his election campaign pledge to abolish the ministry.

"The Gender Ministry continues to carry out its task of deleting content tied to digital sex crimes, but it lacks the actual (legal) authority it needs (to control the matter)," Rep. Kim told acting Gender Equality Minister and Vice Gender Equality Minister Shin Young-sook during the hearing.

"The Gender Ministry, which has to work as a control tower for digital sex crimes have failed to (properly take on its role)."

According to recent government data submitted to Kim, the ministry's Advocacy Center for Online Sexual Abuse Victims has failed to secure the removal of 28.8 percent of deepfake pornography and similar content it asked platforms to delete on behalf of victims. Victims requested the deletion of 938,651 items from the beginning of 2020 to end-June this year, but 269,917 have not been removed, the data said.

"A situation like this happens because the center lacks the legal authority to force the (producer and distributors) to delete the illegal content," Kim said, though some of the content is hosted on services outside of Korea's jurisdiction, such as Telegram.

Ruling People Power Party Rep. Suh Bum-soo expressed similar concerns but focused on the need to boost communication and cooperation among agencies.

"There has been criticism that the Gender Equality Ministry, the police and the Ministry of Justice have failed to work together. The Office for Government Policy Coordination has to take on a stronger role, receive and accept feedback in order (for the cooperation to work smoothly)," Suh said in the hearing.

In response, Shin pledged to "give full efforts to prevent the spread of" illegal deepfake pornography and for victim support.

The Office for Government Policy Coordination under Prime Minister Han Duck-soo launched a pangovernmental task force last week to tackle deepfake sex crimes. The task force held its first meeting led by Kim Jong-moon, the first deputy minister of the office, on Aug. 30.

By Jung Min-kyung(mkjung@heraldcorp.com)