Cabinet passes new bill to criminalize even possession of deepfake porn

The Cabinet meeting on Thursday approved a new bill calling for tougher punishment for digital sex crimes using deepfake technologies. The revision of the sexual crimes punishment law calls for punishing people caught possessing, purchasing, storing or viewing deepfake sexual materials and other fabricated videos with up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won (US$22,500). The new bill will also make the production and distribution of deepfake porn materials punishable by up to seven years in prison, compared with up to five years under the current law. In case of deepfake crimes committed for profit, the statutory penalty will be strengthened from imprisonment of up to seven years to a prison term longer than three years. In addition, the use of deepfake sexual exploitation materials in blackmail will be punishable by imprisonment of over one year. The new bill will be implemented immediately after President Yoon Suk Yeol approves it. The Cabinet meeting also passed two more revision bills stipulating the government's responsibility to delete illegally filmed materials, help victims return to everyday life and protect children against sexual crimes. Source: Yonhap News Agency