"You Wouldn't Expect This from a Police Officer"... Over 5,600 Illegal Videos Found on Mobile Phone

About 400 Deepfake Videos Created Using Acquaintances' Faces
Over 5,600 Illegal Videos Including Child Exploitation Material Discovered
Police Identify Suspect Through Undercover Operation on Telegram

An active-duty police officer has been arrested on charges of producing sexually explicit fake videos using artificial intelligence (AI) by superimposing the faces of acquaintances, and distributing them via Telegram. During the investigation, more than 5,600 illegal videos, including child and youth exploitation materials and illicit recordings, were discovered.

Yonhap News reported on October 4 that Sergeant A of Seoul Dongdaemun Police Station was detained last month on charges including possession of exploitative materials and fake videos, as well as the production and distribution of fake videos.

The case came to light when the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency began an undercover investigation in December 2025 into Telegram chat rooms where fake videos were being shared. With court authorization, officers secretly joined the chat room and conducted their investigation over several months, eventually identifying the person responsible for distributing the illegal videos. Upon verifying the individual's identity, it was found to be Sergeant A, a current officer in the traffic division of Seoul Dongdaemun Police Station.

The photo is not directly related to the content of the article. Photo by Yonhap News.

In August, police executed a search and seizure on Sergeant A's mobile phone and other devices. The initial warrant specified charges related to distributing three fake videos, but further offenses were uncovered during the analysis of the seized items. In total, police documented about 2,600 fake videos, approximately 1,600 child and youth exploitation materials, and around 1,300 illicit recordings, adding up to more than 5,600 illegal videos.

Sergeant A is also suspected of creating about 400 fake videos depicting acquaintances in the nude, using AI applications between March 2022 and July 2026. It was also found that from August 2025 to April 2026, dozens of fake videos were distributed in Telegram chat rooms.

Notably, the crimes continued after Sergeant A became a police officer. He was appointed to the police in April 2024 and reportedly had previously been investigated for a similar offense before joining the force and was granted a suspension of indictment.

The Seoul Dongdaemun Police Station placed Sergeant A on standby duty immediately after being notified of the investigation by the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency, and he is currently suspended from duty. Police believe Sergeant A has admitted to his crimes and are probing the full scale of his offenses and the possibility of further victims.

Meanwhile, police were able to access the Telegram chat rooms through undercover operations that were introduced following high-profile cases such as the so-called 'Nth Room' incident. From June 2025 onwards, undercover investigations have also been permitted for digital sex crimes targeting adults.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.