Legal revisions approved to punish purchase, possession or download of deepfake porn

The Cabinet on Thursday approved a revision of the law governing sexual crimes and punishments to punish people who purchase, possess or download deepfake sexual content.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the government complex in central Seoul on Thursday. [NEWS1]

The Cabinet on Thursday approved a revision of the law governing sexual crimes and punishments to punish people who purchase, possess or download deepfake sexual content.

Under the amended Act on Special Cases concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, those who possess, purchase or download deep fake content face up to three years in prison or 30 million won ($22,241) in fines.

The government also increased the punishment for perpetrators who produce and circulate sexually exploitative deepfake content from up to five years of imprisonment to up to seven years.

The amendment also mandates at least three years of imprisonment for those who use deepfake sexual content for profit. The current provision does not have a minimum threshold.

In addition, perpetrators who blackmail victims by using deepfake content face a year or longer of prison.

The punishments mentioned above will become effective upon presidential approval.

The Cabinet also approved another amendment to the Sexual Violence Prevention and Victims Protection Act, obliging the state to delete sexually exploitative content — deepfake and illegally recorded videos — and help victims recover from damages.

Also, an amendment to the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth against Sex Offenses will increase punishments on sexual offenders targeting underage victims. The revision also reinforces the police’s investigative authority in cases involving minors.

In the Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said the government "will heavily crack down on deepfake sexual crimes through next March.”

Han said the criminal use of sexual deepfake content committed “in the name of curiosity" should "never be overlooked,” asking people to be “attentive regarding deepfake content as it could turn their neighbors and families into victims without their knowledge.”

He also attributed the difficulty in dealing with deepfake sexual crimes to “underage offenders’ immature awareness that does not consider production and distribution of fake sexual content a serious crime.” He also called on the Gender Ministry and Education Ministry to provide preventive education to correct their wrong perceptions.

Regarding sexual deepfake crimes at schools nationwide, the government has been conducting on-site investigations and establishing a hotline reporting system.

State authorities are devising additional measures, including a pan-governmental task force to better support victims and hold online platforms more accountable.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]