The Dark Side of AI: Deepfake Pornography's Devastating Impact in South Korea

How manipulated images are destroying lives and challenging justice in the digital age.

The year was 2021 when Ruma's phone buzzed with a flood of notifications. The messages were a nightmare. Photos of her face, taken from social media, had been expertly grafted onto nude bodies and shared in a Telegram chatroom. The comments were vulgar and degrading, mirroring the messages from the anonymous sender. This was Ruma's introduction to the terrifying world of deepfake pornography, a burgeoning crisis in South Korea.

While revenge porn has existed for years, the advent of sophisticated AI tools has made anyone a potential victim. In South Korea, a country with a troubled history of digital sex crimes, deepfake technology has created a new wave of terror, particularly in schools. According to the country's education ministry, over 900 students, teachers, and staff were victimized by deepfake sex crimes between January and early November of last year. This doesn't even include universities, which have also seen a surge in attacks. In response, the government has established an emergency task force, and new laws have been passed with harsher penalties.

The National Police Agency has urged officers to eradicate these crimes, but arrests are scarce. According to a Seoul National Police statement, of 964 reported cases last year, only 23 arrests were made. This led some victims, like Ruma, to take matters into their own hands. Ruma, with the help of activist Won Eun-ji, infiltrated the chatroom where her deepfake images circulated, gathering information and coordinating with the police. Their efforts led to the arrest of two former Seoul National University students, with the main perpetrator sentenced to nine years in prison. However, the fight for justice continues.

Kim, a high school teacher, experienced the trauma firsthand when manipulated images of her were shared online. The sophisticated technology created images that were eerily realistic. The police's only option was to request user information from X (formerly Twitter). Frustrated by the slow process, Kim and a colleague launched their own investigation, eventually identifying the perpetrator. Kim expressed her frustration with a lack of public empathy, highlighting the prevalent attitude that deepfakes are not a serious crime.

Won Eun-ji, the activist, stresses that a societal shift is needed. The sharing and viewing of sexual content of women was not considered a serious offense for a long time in South Korea. She describes the system as one of "acquaintance humiliation," where perpetrators share photos and personal information, often knowing their victims' homes and families. Since 2020, the fight against digital sex crimes has been a constant battle of shrinking and expanding ecosystems. Victims are pushing for stricter punishments for perpetrators and demanding action from online platforms.

Telegram has faced increased pressure to act, including the arrest of its CEO Pavel Durov in France. Telegram has agreed to increase data sharing with authorities, although Won remains skeptical of the company's commitment. A breakthrough came this January, when Korean authorities successfully obtained data from Telegram, resulting in the arrest of 14 people. The criminal ring had targeted over 200 victims. Despite these advancements, victims like Ruma yearn for more support from the police and courts, emphasizing that true justice is still far from realized.