The number of police sex crime investigations where deepfake technology is a factor has increased more than 70 percent over the past 40 days. 

According to the Korean National Police Agency, 513 such cases were under investigation as of Tuesday, an increase of 73 percent since late July.

The number of deepfake crime reports totaled 156 in 2021, 160 in 2022 and 180 in 2023.

The latest surge is attributed to increased public awareness that creating and distributing deepfake content is a crime.

Out of 318 individuals apprehended in connection with alleged deepfake sex crimes between January and September this year, 251, or 78-point-nine percent, were between the ages of ten and 19.

Sixty-three of them were between ten and 13.