Court orders man, 20, to pay teacher 17.7 million won over deepfake sexual images
In short
The Incheon District Court partly upheld a teacher's civil suit and ordered a 20-year-old man, who made and spread deepfake sexual images of female teachers while in high school, to pay her 17.7 million won. She had claimed about 72.7 million won. The man's three-year prison term is already final, according to the Incheon Teachers' Union.
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The Incheon District Court has partly upheld a teacher's damages suit against a 20-year-old man who, while in high school, made and spread deepfake sexual images of female teachers. According to the Incheon Teachers' Union, cited by Hankook Ilbo, Newsis, Korea Economic Daily and Seoul Economic Daily, Judge Lee Sang-eon of Civil Division 13 ordered him to pay the teacher 17.7 million won. Newsis gave the exact figure as 17,702,910 won. The teacher had claimed 72,729,010 won, according to Newsis. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
The teacher said she suffered serious mental distress and worsened health, and she sought compensation for treatment costs, income lost during leave and mental harm. Newsis and Hankook Ilbo reported that she took about a year of sick leave. Yonhap's summary described the suit as filed by the victimised teacher against the student, who partly lost. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The man was accused of putting the faces of two female teachers at his school, along with academy seniors and instructors, onto nude photos in July 2024 and spreading them on social media. Hankook Ilbo reported that he secretly filmed teachers at school and posted photos emphasising particular body parts. Newsis said he secretly photographed the plaintiff more than 50 times during class and used the pictures to make the composites. Maeil Business said the more than 50 secret photographs were of two female teachers. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
In the criminal case, Newsis and Maeil Business said the man was tried under the Juvenile Act at first instance, received a sentence of two years to one year six months and was detained in court. Hankook Ilbo reported a first-instance term of one year six months to one year. On appeal in December last year, after he was no longer a minor, he received a three-year prison term, which became final. Newsis added that education authorities held a teachers' rights protection committee, judged the conduct a serious infringement of teaching activity and expelled him. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Seoul Economic Daily reported that both victimised teachers took considerable leave and have since returned to school, but only one filed the civil suit; the other was reported to have been unable to sue because of her distress. Seoul Economic Daily also said the appeal court, in the criminal case, found the offence so bad it could be called the killing of a person's character, and noted that the spread of the images on social media makes recovery from the harm difficult. [ 5 , 6 ]
The union said it was disappointed with the award given the seriousness of the harm and the gap between the amount claimed and the amount granted. It also said the ruling shows that crimes against teachers can lead to civil liability after criminal punishment. Korea Economic Daily and Seoul Economic Daily quoted the union as saying the sum was disappointing but the ruling sounded a social alarm over illegal filming and deepfake crimes against teachers. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Why it matters
Outlets and the Incheon Teachers' Union describe the ruling as showing that a teacher targeted by digital sexual crime can seek civil damages in addition to criminal punishment. The union also said the award is well below the amount claimed.
Key facts
- Civil Division 13 (single judge) of the Incheon District Court, Judge Lee Sang-eon, partly upheld a teacher's damages suit against a 20-year-old man, the union said. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The man was ordered to pay 17,702,910 won; the teacher had claimed 72,729,010 won. [ 3 ]
- The teacher sought compensation for treatment costs, income lost during leave and mental suffering. [ 2 , 3 ]
- In July 2024, while in high school, the man was accused of putting the faces of two female teachers at his school and of academy seniors and instructors onto nude photos and spreading them on social media. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- On appeal in December last year he received a three-year prison term, which became final. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The teacher took about one year of sick leave. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Incheon District Court partly upheld the teacher's damages suit and ordered the man to pay 17.7 million won, against a claim of roughly 72 million won. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The man's prison sentence on appeal was three years, imposed after he was no longer a minor under the Juvenile Act. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Only one of the two victimised teachers brought the civil suit. [ 5 , 6 ]
Still unclear
- First-instance prison sentence Hankook Ilbo reports a term of one year six months to one year; Newsis and Maeil Business report two years to one year six months.
- Number of teachers filmed more than 50 times Newsis says the man secretly filmed the plaintiff teacher more than 50 times during class; Maeil Business says he filmed two female teachers more than 50 times.
- How the court arrived at 17.7 million won The documents do not give the court's reasoning for the amount awarded.
- Whether the other victimised teacher will sue or the ruling will be appealed The documents say only that the other teacher could not sue because of distress and do not mention an appeal of the civil ruling.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yonhap published a report that the victimised teacher partly won her civil suit (21 October). [ 1 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reported the 17.7 million won award (21 October). [ 2 ]
- Newsis reported the ruling and the exact amount of 17,702,910 won (21 October). [ 3 ]
- Korea Economic Daily reported the order to pay 17.7 million won (21 October). [ 4 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reported the ruling and the other teacher's absence from the suit (22 October). [ 5 ]
- Maeil Business reported the ruling (22 October). [ 6 ]