Police officer arrested for fabricating, distributing sexually exploitative images

A police officer in Seoul has been arrested for allegedly possessing, creating, and distributing sexually explicit images, including those of individuals he personally knows, according to officials. The unnamed officer, who worked at Seoul's Dongdaemun Police Station, was formally arrested last month following a lengthy investigation into the distribution of such material in a Telegram chat room.

In August, police seized the officer's mobile phone, which contained approximately 2,600 deepfake images, around 1,600 images depicting child exploitation, and about 1,300 illegally recorded images. Using artificial intelligence, the officer allegedly fabricated around 400 nude images of people he was familiar with between March 2022 and July 2023 and shared dozens of them within the Telegram chat room.

The officer had previously faced investigation for a similar offense and had received a suspended indictment prior to joining the police force. Upon learning of the case, the Dongdaemun Police Station placed the officer under temporary suspension and subsequently relieved him of his duties. However, further details regarding the investigation and the case's specifics could not be confirmed.