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'Social and psychological murder': 17-year-old indicted on charges of child pornography

Published: 29 Apr. 2025, 16:49

An illustration depicting AI-generated deepfake images [GETTY IMAGES BANK]

A 17-year-old boy was indicted on charges of producing sexually exploitative material after allegedly luring teenage girls online by claiming he could identify people circulating deepfake videos of them, police said Tuesday.

The boy, who used the alias “Pandora” on social media, reportedly contacted 19 girls between July 2024 and April 19 this year. He is accused of producing 34 exploitative videos, possessing 81 illicit recordings and storing 1,832 deepfake videos.

Investigators said that the suspect contacted victims by sending messages such as, “A deepfake video of you is spreading — I can tell you who’s behind it.”

The teenage suspect would then trick his victims into sending personal photos or money on the pretense of verifying the existence of the videos. Authorities believe he used the acquired images to create the exploitative content himself.

The boy also coerced victims by offering “freedom” in exchange for recruiting five more targets. Police said three accomplices, including a 16-year-old girl, were also arrested for participating in the scheme. None of the victims were actually released from coercive situations, investigators confirmed.

Citizens chant slogans against deepfake sex crimes during a rally in central Seoul on Sept. 6, 2024. [YONHAP]

Between Aug. 28, 2024, to March 31, the police conducted a nationwide crackdown on the production and distribution of child and teen sexual exploitation materials, including deepfakes. During the operation, 224 cybersex crime suspects were arrested and 13 were taken into custody.

Among those detained were two men who secretly installed CCTV cameras in their studio apartment and illegally filmed 53 women — including three who were underage — 1,584 times.

One of the suspects, a 33-year-old man, allegedly rented the space to a 28-year-old man, supplied him with money and women, and recorded their sexual encounters to sell as part of a paid subscription service. Both men were arrested, and police seized criminal profits totaling 13 million won ($9,040).

Lee Sook-young, head of the third division of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's cyberinvestigation unit, speaks during a briefing at the agency headquarters in Jongno District, central Seoul, on April 29. [NEWS1]

In a separate case, police arrested individuals active as so-called producers on Telegram. They allegedly created 46 sexual exploitation videos involving minors between 2019 and November 2024.

Authorities say they also produced and stored 281 fake videos targeting 182 women, including female co-workers and or wives of colleagues. Some of the victims were family members of the suspects, according to police. Investigators believe generative AI was used to commit the crimes.

“The police will enforce a zero-tolerance policy toward cyber sexual violence,” said Lee Sook-young, head of the third division of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's cyberinvestigation unit. “This form of crime can destroy a victim’s entire life and is essentially a social and psychological murder.

“We urge anyone who has been victimized to immediately report it to law enforcement or a support agency.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM CHANG-YONG [[email protected]]