Summary: Artificial intelligence-driven deepfake pornography is wreaking havoc in South Korea, with victims facing lasting emotional trauma and limited legal recourse. As cases surge in schools and beyond, the government and activists are pushing for stronger enforcement and support systems. The Alarming Rise of AI-Generated Exploitation In the summer of 2021, a South Korean university student, referred to as Ruma for her privacy, became one of the growing number of victims targeted by explicit deepfake content. Her social media photos were manipulated into non-consensual pornographic images and shared in a Telegram chat room. Alongside vulgar messages, the anonymous harasser threatened to spread the images further and taunted her about the lack of legal protection. While revenge porn has existed since the early internet era, AI tools have accelerated the creation of synthetic explicit images—often without the victim ever having taken compromising photos. These deepfakes are distu...