On October 10, a pivotal moment unfolded in South Korea as the government voted to revise the Special Law on Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes, widely referred to as the Sexual Violence Punishment Act. According to reports from Yonhap News Agency, this new amendment imposes severe penalties on individuals who possess, purchase, store, or view deepfake pornographic material. Offenders could face up to three years in prison or a hefty fine of 30 million won, which is roughly $15,750.

The updated law also escalates penalties for those involved in editing and distributing deepfake pornographic content. Previously, such actions could result in a maximum sentence of five years; now, that has been extended to seven years. If offenders stand to gain financially from these activities, they could be looking at a minimum three-year prison term. Furthermore, utilizing deepfake pornographic material for intimidation is punishable by at least one year of imprisonment.

In addition to the Sexual Violence Punishment Act, amendments to the Law on the Prevention of Sexual Violence and Protection of Victims, as well as the Law on the Prevention of Sexual Crimes Against Children and Adolescents, were also passed.

Among the three bills targeting deepfake sexual crimes, the Sexual Violence Punishment Act will be officially published in the government gazette after receiving presidential approval, leading to its immediate enforcement.