Authorities announced on October 8 the arrest of a man in his 20s accused of creating 4,313 deepfake pornographic videos featuring 72 female celebrities and selling them online.

The suspect allegedly produced the explicit content using a self-developed program powered by generative artificial intelligence, earning 3.83 million KRW (approximately 2,837 USD) from sales between January and March of this year.

In a related case, police also arrested a Chinese national in his 30s for distributing 14,526 pornographic videos, including 20 deepfake clips of female celebrities, through an illegal website. The website, operational from June 2023 until last month, reportedly generated 140 million KRW (about 103,800 USD) through online gambling promotions and other unlawful activities.

Authorities plan to refer the Chinese suspect to prosecutors this week and are actively seeking accomplices in China, as well as individuals who accessed the illegal content online.

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