Prosecutors Seek 10-Month Prison Sentence for Official Who Used AI to Create Fake Photos of Subordinate as His Partner

Prosecutors have requested a 10-month prison sentence for a Guro-gu Office official who used artificial intelligence to create fake photos of his subordinate, depicting her as his romantic partner, and posted them on his social media account without authorization.
The Seoul Southern District Court, presided over by Judge Nam Min-young of the 13th Criminal Division, held the second trial today (July 14) for the defendant, a man in his 50s surnamed Lee, who was indicted without detention on charges of violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Sexual Crimes and defamation.
During the trial, prosecutors asked the court to sentence Lee to 10 months in prison, along with an order to disclose and notify his personal information and a five-year employment restriction.
Prosecutors stated, "Although the defendant is a first-time offender, the victim is calling for a stern punishment, and the defendant posted the photos publicly despite being aware of the potential issues."
They further explained the grounds for the sentencing request, noting, "Considering the victim's statement, it is difficult to conclude that the level of sexual humiliation was minor."
According to the prosecution, Lee is accused of causing sexual humiliation and defaming a female subordinate who worked in the same department by creating fake photos in November of last year that made it appear as if she were in a romantic relationship with him, and posting them on his KakaoTalk profile.
Investigations revealed that Lee obtained the victim's photo through the government's internal computer system and used a photo editing application to create and post four fake images showing the victim embracing him.
During the trial, Lee claimed that he had a hobby of photo manipulation for seven to eight years and that he usually created fairy-tale-like scenes using photos of couples.
He stated, "There is no excuse for the shameful discomfort and pain I caused through such highly inappropriate behavior."
Lee's defense attorney pleaded for leniency, arguing, "There were no sexual elements involved, so it is difficult to view the images as having induced sexual desire or humiliation," and added, "He has served faithfully as a Seoul city official for 25 years and made a temporary lapse in judgment due to the suspension of his medication at the time of the incident."
The court is scheduled to deliver its verdict on the afternoon of September 11.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.