Digital Sex Crimes on the Rise in South Korea

South Korea is experiencing a rise in digital sex crimes, a trend likely linked to the growing number of young men expressing anti-feminist and sexist views toward women. Fueled by online forums known as the “manosphere,” groups of men, including a significant number of boys aged 10 to 14, congregate in these spaces to share misogynistic sentiments. Some users exploit the anonymity of the internet to commit digital sex crimes against women. These offenses vary in severity, ranging from voyeurism to sextortion. The emergence of advanced AI technologies has further enabled such crimes, presenting new challenges for authorities in Seoul. As South Korea grapples with the escalating threat of digital sex crimes, this issue brief discusses how Seoul must go beyond strengthening legal and investigative measures and also implement systemic societal reforms and proactive prevention strategies. To prevent these crimes from occurring in the first place, Seoul must address the underlying social attitudes and misogyny that enable them, as well as take steps to raise public awareness and establish social intolerance towards such gender based violence.