Chinese student sentenced to prison for producing over 1,000 deepfake sexual exploitation materials

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Jeong Ji-su = A Chinese student who created more than 1,000 sexual exploitation materials by deepfake facial photos of graduate school lab colleagues was sentenced to prison in the first trial.

On the 10th, Criminal Division 5 of the Seoul Northern District Court (Judge Kwon So-young) sentenced Mr. A (30), who was indicted on charges of violating the Sexual Violence Punishment Act (habitually editing and distributing false videos), to 1 year and 6 months in prison. He was also ordered to complete a 40-hour sexual violence treatment program and to be restricted from employment at institutions related to children, youth, and the disabled for five years.

Previously, the prosecution had requested a three-year prison sentence and requested that he disclose his personal information and complete a sexual violence treatment program.

Judge Kwon did not order disclosure or notification of personal information, saying, “The effect of preventing recidivism can be expected through the execution of sentences, registration of personal information, employment restrictions, and completion of sexual violence treatment programs.”

Mr. A is accused of producing 1,141 deepfake sexual exploitation materials by combining facial images of seven victims, including lab colleagues, into pornographic materials such as videos and photos using artificial intelligence (AI) over a six-month period starting in November of last year.

During the investigation, a record of Mr. A's search for a way to bypass the generative AI 'Grock' safety device was also confirmed.

Judge Kwon pointed out, "The defendant's crime is poor and his guilt is heavy, considering the circumstances and content of the crime, which included editing, synthesizing, or processing video footage of the victims, who were students in the same university's lab, on several occasions."

He added, "We also took into account the fact that the defendant deposited 7 million won each to the victims, but the victims refused to receive the deposit."

However, it was stated that the sentencing took into account the fact that Mr. A acknowledged his mistakes and was reflecting on them, that he had no history of criminal punishment, and that there were no circumstances to suggest that the edited or synthesized video was distributed.

In the previous trial, Mr. A admitted all charges and asked for leniency, but the attorney for five of the victims asked the court to sentence them to severe punishment, saying, "The victims have been complaining of fear, trauma, and pain to this day."