Korea launches pan-gov't organization to tackle digital sex crimes
![From left, Won Min-kyung, minister of gender equality and family, Kim Jong-cheol, chair of the Korea Communications Commission, and Yoo Jae-sung, acting commissioner general of the National Police Agency, unveil a plaque at the launch ceremony for the pan-government integrated support task force for victims of digital sex crimes at the Government Complex Seoul in Jongno District, central Seoul, on May 6. [NEWS1]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/12599772.webp?imageId=12599772&width=960&height=552&format=jpg)
Korea launched a pan-government organization to improve the country's response system against digital sex crimes, the government media watchdog said Wednesday.
The move comes as Korea has been grappling with a digital sex crime crisis, which has evolved from secret filming in public places to technology-enabled exploitation, such as deepfakes using AI.
The newly created organization aims to speed up the process of blocking the spread of sexually exploitative content online by working with relevant agencies, including overseas entities, according to the Korea Media and Communications Commission (KCMM).
Previously, authorities had difficulty swiftly responding to digital sex crimes due to administrative procedures they had to go through to block access to websites containing such content, the watchdog said.
It will also monitor illegal sexually exploitative content while devising legislation related to tackling such crimes, it added.
The group will be comprised of eight officials, each from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the National Police Agency and the KMCC.
A signboard hanging ceremony was held at the administrative office in Seoul earlier in the day, attended by Gender Minister Won Min-kyong and KMCC Chairman Kim Jong-cheol.
Korea reported 17,629 cases of digital sex crimes last year, up 4.7 percent from a year earlier, according to a report from the Gender Ministry.
The government previously deleted over 1.5 million sexually exploitative materials and supported over 53,000 victims of sex crimes so far, through five rounds of government measures.
Yonhap
