Digital sex crimes against minors in Korea rise nearly 30-fold in 7 years
The number of teenagers and younger children reporting digital sex crimes in Korea jumped nearly 30-fold in just seven years, underscoring the growing vulnerability of young people to sexual exploitation online. According to data from the state-run National Center for Digital Sexual Crime Response, the number of victims aged 19 or younger who sought help from the center last year was 3,052, up…
Digital sex crimes against minors in South Korea have surged nearly 30 times in the past seven years, highlighting the rising susceptibility of young individuals to online sexual exploitation. In 2022, the National Center for Digital Sexual Crime Response reported 3,052 victims aged 19 or younger, a dramatic increase from just 111 cases in 2018.
This marked the first time the annual figure surpassed 3,000 victims, signaling a troubling trend that digital sex crimes involving advanced technologies like artificial intelligence are increasingly targeting younger people. The majority of victims, over 77 percent, were minors and young adults. Their frequent use of social media and other online platforms makes them more vulnerable to digital sex crime risks.
The center's assistance volume also spiked, rising from around 33,000 cases in 2018 to a significant number in 2022.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
