PM says deepfake porn crimes should be tackled like drugs
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo speaks during a luncheon meeting with reporters in Jongno District, Seoul, Aug. 27. Yonhap
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Tuesday that crimes involving deepfake pornographic material should be tackled to the same degree as drug crimes.
Han made the remark during a meeting with reporters following the discovery of numerous chat rooms suspected of creating and distributing pornographic content using doctored photos of ordinary women and teenagers.
"I think the state should begin by cracking down on them almost to the same degree as drugs," he said during the meeting held at his official residence.
"Where legislation is needed, we should push for legislation in consultation with the National Assembly. On issues like these, education should also go hand in hand with punishment," he said.
Han also confirmed reports that ruling People Power Party (PPP) chief Han Dong-hoon proposed deferring the medical school quota increase for 2026 during a meeting of senior government and ruling party officials on Sunday.
"Chairman Han told me that he thinks if we defer the increase for 2026, the problem will be solved more easily," the prime minister said, referring to an ongoing standoff between the government and the medical community over the state's medical reform plans. "I told him since that is something that requires the consideration of many issues, we would think about it. Then I told relevant agencies to review it."
The PPP chief's proposal was reviewed by the presidential office, the prime minister said, but "the government decided that would be a little difficult."
The current government plan is to increase the medical school admission quota by 2,000 seats every year for the next five years to address a shortage of doctors, though the number was adjusted to 1,509 for next year amid fierce protest from doctors' groups.
Thousands of trainee doctors have remained off the job since February in protest of the government's plan, while a nationwide union of nurses and medical workers has threatened to launch a strike Thursday to demand better working conditions amid serious strains caused by the prolonged standoff.
Prime Minister Han reiterated the government's position that it is open to discussing the 2026 quota should the medical community come up with a "scientific and unified opinion." (Yonhap)