Another active-duty officer arrested on sex crime charges

Officer had received deferred prosecution before joining force

Prior charge went undetected during hiring process

Agency vows to seek legal reform

An illustration depicting a police officer and illegally filmed material. [Generated with AI]
An illustration depicting a police officer and illegally filmed material. [Generated with AI]

A police officer identified as A, holding the rank of senior constable, was recently arrested and referred to prosecutors on charges of producing deepfake sexual content using acquaintances' faces and illegally filming women's bodies — crimes he committed while serving on the force. Before joining the police, he had already received a deferred prosecution for illegal filming, but the prior charge went undetected during the hiring process and he was cleared to join.

Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Ko Beom-seok said Tuesday at a regular press briefing at the agency's office in Jongno-gu that criminal and investigation records are used during the hiring process to screen for disqualifying factors. "A deferred prosecution is not included in that scope," Ko said. "We completely failed to identify it during hiring."

Officer A, attached to Seoul's Dongdaemun Police Station, was arrested last month and referred to prosecutors on charges including possession of sexually exploitative and fabricated material and production and distribution of fabricated video content.

Appointed to the force in December 2023, Officer A had been producing and distributing deepfake videos using acquaintances' faces and illegally filming women's bodies from 2020 through July this year.

Before joining the police, he began producing deepfake videos using acquaintances' faces as early as March 2022, creating more than 400 such clips. He also produced illegally filmed footage of women's bodies.

The crimes continued through July this year. Investigators found he also distributed more than 50 fabricated videos between last August and May this year.

He had also been caught for a similar offense before joining the force. In 2020, Officer A was apprehended on charges of violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes — specifically for filming using a camera — but received only a deferred prosecution.

That outcome was not flagged during the background check due to a structural gap in the hiring process. "When a background check is conducted, the person running it can see the relevant information, but it is not reported further up the chain," a police official said. "There are disqualifying criteria for hiring, and deferred prosecution simply does not fall within them."

Commissioner Ko said the agency plans to work closely with the Korean National Police Agency to pursue the necessary steps, including seeking amendments to relevant laws.


20ki@heraldcorp.com