Report shows gov't aided over 10,000 victims of digital sex crimes in 2025

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More than 10,000 victims of digital sex crimes received government-backed support last year, as Korea confronts a surge in online exploitation and growing fears over the spread of illicit content, the government said Thursday.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said a total of 10,637 victims were assisted in 2025 through the Central Digital Sex Crime Victim Support Center, according to a newly released report.

The ministry said the center provided more than 352,000 cases of support — including counseling, content removal and referrals to investigative, legal and medical services — marking a 3.2 percent increase from a year earlier.

Deletion of illicit content accounted for 90.3 percent of all services, rising 5.9 percent from 2024, the ministry said.

The report showed that younger victims made up the overwhelming majority. Those in their teens and 20s accounted for 77.6 percent of all victims, while cases involving manipulated or edited images disproportionately affected younger groups, with 91.2 percent involving victims in their teens and 20s.

The ministry said anxiety over potential distribution was the most commonly reported concern among victims, reflecting heightened awareness of risks as artificial intelligence technologies expand.

Newly reported victims declined 10.3 percent from a year earlier, but cases requiring ongoing support rose 26.3 percent, highlighting the persistent nature of digital sex crimes and the need for long-term intervention, the ministry said.

An analysis of 26,658 websites involved in the distribution of illicit content found that 70.8 percent of servers were located in the United States, followed by Australia at 5.7 percent and the Netherlands at 5.6 percent.

The ministry said 95.6 percent of distribution sites were based overseas, underscoring the importance of international cooperation. It said cross-border deletion support has been strengthened, allowing authorities to respond regardless of server location.

In 2024, it formalized a partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in the United States. A key element of the agreement involved linking the two organizations’ reporting systems via an API, a technical bridge designed to speed up the removal of illegal digital content.

It also said a new collaboration has begun with the United Kingdom’s Internet Watch Foundation, expanding the ability to respond to servers located outside the United States.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.