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…
In just seven years, the number of digital sex crimes against minors in Korea has surged nearly 30-fold, highlighting the rising susceptibility of young individuals to online sexual exploitation. Last year, the National Center for Digital Sexual Crime Response reported 3,052 victims aged 19 or below, compared to just 111 in 2018 when the center started tracking such data.
This marked the first time the annual count of victims in this age group surpassed 3,000. The data reveals that minors and those in their 20s made up over 77 percent of all victims.
Digital sex crimes fueled by emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly targeting younger people. The center noted that minors and young adults are among the most active users of social media and online services, which can heighten their vulnerability to digital sex crime risks. Meanwhile, the overall volume of assistance provided by the center also increased significantly, rising from approximately 33,000 cases in 2018 to the current figure.
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.
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