South Korea Proposes Lawful Hacking to Combat Illegal Sexual Content Online

• •Investigators may gain powers to lawfully hack websites distributing illegal sexual content.
• •The number of victims of digital sex crimes in South Korea surged to 10,637 in 2025.
• •99% of identified illegal websites are based overseas, complicating enforcement efforts.

The South Korean government is considering allowing investigators to lawfully hack websites distributing illegal sexual content, including illegally filmed material and deepfakes. This initiative aims to collect evidence and delete harmful content, addressing the increasing number of victims, which reached 10,637 in 2025. Many of these websites are based overseas, complicating enforcement efforts. The Gender Ministry reported that 99% of identified illegal sites are outside South Korea, with 79.4% located in the United States. The government plans to revise legislation to enable these measures and establish special investigation teams. The initiative follows a significant rise in digital sex crime cases, with police investigating 17,716 cases from 2021 to 2025. Authorities have identified 34,628 illegal websites, with 6,683 still active, and believe there are approximately 2.15 million videos involving Korean victims. The proposed actions include international cooperation and technological measures to disrupt these criminal operations.