Police arrest 474 suspects for fake sex crimes; 80% adolescents

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) — Police have arrested 474 people in connection with fake sex crimes so far this year, the National Police Agency (NPA) said Wednesday.

Police received 921 reports related to deepfake sex crimes between January and Monday, and they arrested 474 suspects during that period, according to the NPA.

More than half of the reports, or 476 cases, were filed after police launched an intensive crackdown on such crimes in late August, after the issue made national headlines following a series of similar cases on Telegram.

Among the suspects apprehended, 80.4 percent, or 381 people, were adolescents, and minors aged 10 to 14 exempt from criminal responsibility accounted for 15 percent, or 71 people.

People in their 20s made up 15.8 percent, or 75 people, followed by 13 people in their 30s, two in their 40s and three for those 50 and older.

Notably, the Busan Metropolitan Police recently remanded two suspects to physical custody for creating illegal sex videos of 11 people they knew using deepfakes and sharing them on Telegram for a year.

Police plan to continue cracking down on deepfake sex crimes until March 31, 2025.