South Korea Intensifies Crackdown on Deepfake Crimes

South Korea is intensifying its crackdown on sexually explicit deepfake crimes, with increased penalties and a hotline with Telegram to address the surge in such content. President Yoon Suk-Yeol has called for a thorough investigation into digital sex crimes following widespread outrage over the misuse of technology and anonymity. The Korea Communications Standards Commission is set to discuss new measures to counter the threat. Arrested Telegram founder Pavel Durov's involvement has brought increased scrutiny on the platform, which is a major distribution channel for deepfakes. Reports indicate a sharp rise in cases, with most perpetrators being young adults, and a significant number of victims, including minors and female students. Activists criticize existing legislation as inadequate for addressing the growing epidemic of digital sex crimes in the country.