High school students caught creating and selling sexually explicit deepfake images

ANSAN, South Korea, Sept. 5 (Yonhap) — A high school student was caught allegedly using deepfake technology to create sexually explicit content and sell it on Telegram, police said Thursday.

The suspect, who attends a high school in the southeastern Daegu-North Gyeongsang region, was accused of posting an ad on social media on June 7 promoting the sale of sexually explicit deepfake images of family members, acquaintances and celebrities and selling them via Telegram for 1,000 won ($0.75) to 2,000 won apiece.

He reportedly earned between 300,000 and 400,000 won from the sale on about ten occasions.

Police found the post on social media and approached the suspect while posing as the buyer before arresting him in July and seizing 317 deepfake materials.

Ansan Sangnok Police Station said the student had been charged with violating the Youth Protection Act and the Sexual Crimes Punishment Act.

Most of the victims were the suspect's acquaintances from middle school, including a teacher and ten students, but the number may rise as some buyers also sent photos of their contacts.

During police questioning, the suspect stated that he learned how to create deepfake content online and committed the crime to “make easy money.”

Police plan to obtain an arrest warrant for the suspect in the near future.