Cheongju police probe deepfake case at middle school and assault on suspect
In short
Police in Cheongju, North Chungcheong, are investigating a male middle school student suspected of making and sharing deepfake videos of female classmates on 16 October. On 19 October the boy was assaulted by two peers who know the victims, and he is in hospital; police are also investigating the assault.
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Police in Cheongju, in North Chungcheong, are investigating two linked cases at a middle school: the alleged making and sharing of deepfake videos of female students by a male student, and an assault on that student on 19 October. The boy is receiving hospital treatment, according to the reports. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
Cheongju Cheongwon Police Station said on 22 October that it is conducting a pre-investigation of the teenage boy, identified as A, on suspicion of violating the Sexual Violence Punishment Act (production and distribution of false video), Newsis and Dong-A Ilbo reported. Newsis and Hankook Ilbo wrote that he is suspected of filming several girls in the same school year without their consent and using the footage to make and share deepfake videos. [ 1 , 6 , 7 ]
According to Yonhap, citing police and the North Chungcheong Provincial Office of Education, A made and spread the videos on 16 October and was discovered by a victim, identified as B. Her parents reported it to police the same day, and police began investigating. Dong-A Ilbo wrote that the school learned of the matter that day through a report from a victim's parent, and that police also received the case through the 117 school violence hotline. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
Several outlets reported that police found A had made the videos from photos captured during video calls with a number of girls and from photos of their backs. Yonhap, Kyunghyang Shinmun, Korea Economic Daily and Hankook Ilbo described the material as sexual exploitation material. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
After the matter became known, A was assaulted on 19 October on a hiking trail behind the school by two peers who are acquaintances of a victim, according to Yonhap, Kyunghyang Shinmun, Maeil Business, Korea Economic Daily, Dong-A Ilbo and Hankook Ilbo. He was taken to hospital. Yonhap, Kyunghyang Shinmun, Korea Economic Daily and Hankook Ilbo said police booked the assailants without detention on assault charges. Newsis, which gave no date, said A was reportedly beaten by an acquaintance of a victim who learned of the case. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
A police official told Yonhap that exact facts are hard to confirm because the investigation is continuing. Maeil Business quoted the official saying details are hard to disclose for the same reason. Dong-A Ilbo wrote that police are checking the details of the deepfake allegation and the assault separately. [ 2 , 4 , 6 ]
Why it matters
The case links a suspected digital sex crime among schoolchildren with violence against the suspect, and police are handling both. Outlets report that investigations are still under way and police have declined to give details.
Key facts
- A male student at a middle school in Cheongju is suspected of making and sharing deepfake videos of female classmates on 16 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Cheongju Cheongwon Police Station is conducting a pre-investigation of the teenage boy on suspicion of violating the Sexual Violence Punishment Act (production and distribution of false video). [ 1 , 6 , 7 ]
- Police reportedly found he used photos captured during video calls with several girls, and photos of their backs, to make the videos. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- The case was reported to police by the parents of a victim, identified as B, on the day it was discovered. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 ]
- On 19 October the boy was assaulted on a hiking trail behind the school by two peers who are acquaintances of a victim, and he is being treated in hospital. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Police have booked the assailants without detention on assault charges and are investigating. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Police are investigating both the alleged deepfake videos and the assault on the boy. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- The boy was assaulted on 19 October on a hiking trail behind the school by two acquaintances of a victim and is hospitalised. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- The case came to light on 16 October when a victim, B, found out, and her parents reported it to police. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
Still unclear
- How many girls were affected and how widely the videos were shared. Documents say only that several girls were involved; none gives a number or says where the videos were shared.
- The precise facts of both cases. A police official told Yonhap and Maeil Business that the investigation is ongoing and exact facts are hard to confirm.
- Number of people who attacked the boy. Newsis says he was reportedly beaten by one acquaintance of a victim, while the other outlets say two.
- Whether the boy has been formally charged. Newsis, Dong-A Ilbo and Hankook Ilbo say he is under pre-investigation (not yet booked) and describe the allegations as suspicions.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Newsis reports that Cheongju Cheongwon Police Station said on 22 October it is conducting a pre-investigation of the boy. [ 1 ]
- Yonhap reports that police are investigating both the deepfake case and the assault on the boy. [ 2 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reports on 23 October that police are checking the details of the deepfake allegation and the assault separately. [ 6 ]