Seoul: Police have apprehended over 3,000 suspects in connection with online sex crimes over the past year, with nearly half of them in their teens, officials said Sunday. The National Police Agency (NPA) has reported a significant number of cases related to online sexual abuse, highlighting the growing concern over digital crimes.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the NPA detected 3,411 online sexual abuse cases between November 2024 and October this year, resulting in the detention of 3,557 individuals. Of these, 221 suspects were formally arrested. The data reveals a worrying trend in the use of deepfake technology, which accounted for 35.2 percent of the crimes. This was closely followed by the production and distribution of sexual videos involving children or adolescents at 34.3 percent, and the circulation of illegally filmed materials at 19.4 percent.

The age distribution of the suspects is particularly concerning, with nearly half, or 1,761 individuals, being teenagers. This group was followed by suspects in their 20s, numbering 1,228, while those in their 30s and 40s accounted for 468 and 169, respectively. The prevalence of younger individuals in these crimes is attributed to their adeptness with digital tools.

The NPA noted a 47.8 percent year-on-year increase in the number of people apprehended for online sex crimes. This rise is largely attributed to a surge in deepfake crimes since the latter half of last year and the implementation of stricter penalties for offenses involving deepfake technology.