Teenager Arrested for Distributing Sexual Exploitation Material

A 17-year-old male high school student has been arrested and indicted for creating and distributing sexual exploitation material after demanding nude photos from victims under the pretense of revealing the identity of a deepfake video distributor. The suspect, identified as 장모, allegedly coerced victims by threatening to release the material to their families and schools. According to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, he was charged with producing 34 pieces of sexual exploitation material from July of last year until last month, targeting 19 victims, all in their early teens. Additionally, he was found to possess 81 illegal recordings and 1,832 false videos. The suspect utilized smartphone applications like Telegram and Instagram to carry out his crimes, luring victims with claims that their deepfake videos were circulating online. He reportedly told victims that if they could 'bring in five others,' they would be freed from his threats. The police arrested him on April 25, and he has since been indicted while in custody.