Police Weakened in Digital Crime Response After Cutting Cyber Investigation Personnel

Despite Surge in Digital Sex Crimes, Detection Rate Declines
Shin Jeonghun: "A Dedicated Government Control Tower Is Needed"

Shin Jeonghun, member of the Democratic Party of Korea.

Recently, a shocking incident occurred in which an active-duty police officer was suspended from duty on charges of illegal filming, severely undermining public trust in the police, who are responsible for cracking down on digital sex crimes.

According to materials submitted by Shin Jeonghun, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea representing Naju and Hwasun in South Jeolla Province, to the National Assembly’s audit on October 12, illegal filming crimes surged by about 9% last year compared to the previous year, marking the highest level in the past five years. In contrast, the crime detection rate declined from the mid-80% range to the low 80% range, indicating a worsening trend. This suggests that the police’s investigative capabilities are failing to keep pace with the rapidly increasing digital crimes.

One of the main reasons cited for this decline in the detection rate is the significant reduction in cyber investigation personnel. In just one year, both the authorized and actual number of cyber investigation officers at the National Police Agency nearly halved, leading to strong criticism that the shortage of specialized investigators has weakened the police’s ability to respond to digital crimes. While the police attributed this to organizational restructuring, this explanation lacks persuasiveness when considering the confusion and delays experienced on the front lines.

Particularly concerning is the increasing involvement of minors as both perpetrators and victims. More than 20% of all suspects in illegal filming cases are minors, and the number of minor suspects has nearly doubled over the past five years. The number of female victims aged 20 and under is also rising much faster than the overall increase in female victims, indicating that the spread of these crimes among adolescents has reached a critical level.

Shin Jeonghun stated, "Illegal filming is not a mere act of deviance but a serious crime that destroys the entire life of the victim," adding, "The key to tackling digital sex crimes is to secure investigative personnel and technological infrastructure that meet current realities."

Shin Jeonghun also emphasized, "As new types of digital sex crimes, such as AI-generated and distributed content, continue to spread, the government must establish a dedicated control tower for digital sex crimes to block illegal websites, protect victims, and support the deletion of illicit videos."

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