Active Seoul police officer arrested for using AI to create and distribute sexual exploitation material

A police lieutenant from Seoul's Dongdaemun Police Station was arrested on suspicion of using AI to create and distribute sexual exploitation material. After obtaining court permission in December last year, police conducted an undercover investigation into a Telegram chat room, tracked the suspect over several months, and identified him as an active-duty police officer. A search of his phone revealed approximately 5,600 illegal images in his possession, including more than 2,600 deepfake images, more than 1,600 child and adolescent sexual exploitation materials, and more than 1,300 illegally filmed materials. Between March 2022 and July this year, he used AI applications to create more than 400 deepfake images depicting acquaintances in the nude, and distributed dozens of deepfake images in Telegram chat rooms from August last year to April this year. The lieutenant joined the force in April 2024 and had previously received a suspended indictment for a similar case; he continued offending after joining. The Seoul Dongdaemun Police Station stated that after receiving a notice of investigation from the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency, it placed him on standby duty, and he is currently suspended.