Agency, fans cooperate with police authority to halt deepfake crime
Several suspects who created and distributed deepfake videos targeting Hybe artists have been arrested by the police.
On Friday, the Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency announced that a total of eight individuals suspected of producing or distributing false deepfake videos involving Hybe artists had been apprehended by the police. Of these, six individuals — who are accused of creating the fake videos and circulating them through Telegram chatrooms and other social media — have been taken into custody.
Including the eight suspects who targeted Hybe artists, police arrested a total of 23 individuals involved in the creation and distribution of sexually explicit fake videos via Telegram chatrooms. Among them, 13 were taken into custody. Over 90 percent of the suspects are reported to be in their teens or 20s, with no stable employment.
Hybe and the Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency signed a memorandum of understanding on Feb. 25 to combat deepfake-related crimes. They established a cooperative system to enable swift responses, including a dedicated hotline for deepfake cases.
Hybe provided critical information to aid in identifying the suspects, and the police were able to make arrests promptly based on such information.
Hybe also received reports from fans as part of its efforts to support the crackdown on deepfakes. Since September, the company has operated the “Report Infringement of Artist Rights” website to protect its artists’ rights. Through this platform, fans reported manipulated content that defamed artists, allowing the company to detect the crimes quickly.
Kim Ho-seung, chief of the Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency, stated, “Deepfake crimes are on the rise, exploiting the vulnerability of celebrities who often find it difficult to speak out about such victimization. These are serious offenses that can shatter victims’ everyday lives. Crimes against public figures are no exception.”
He affirmed that the investigation and pursuit of such cases will continue.
Hybe CEO Lee Jae-sang also emphasized, “We will take a zero-tolerance, no-settlement stance against crimes that infringe on our artists’ portrait rights and reputations.” Lee added Hybe will continue to monitor for similar cases and pursue legal action to root them out.
jy@heraldcorp.com
