South Korea plans AI crime strategy built on biometrics, digital identity

The South Korean government is preparing a national policing strategy to counter the rapid rise of AI-driven crime, including biometric manipulation, digital identity fraud and increasingly autonomous scams.

According to officials, AI is now being misused across the entire criminal lifecycle, from identifying and targeting victims to stealing data, generating deepfakes, cloning voices and automating fraud. Financial fraud has increased in South Korea.

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology confirmed a study will be launched to build a science‑based policing framework, reports Seoul Economic Daily. The review’s findings will feed into a medium‑ to long‑term national strategy.

Deepfake cases have surged. According to the National Police Agency, reported cases of sexually explicit deepfakes rose from 168 in 2023 to 1,300 last year. Now, the fear is that AI agents are capable of planning and executing scams, with such cases emerging, making crimes harder to detect and more persistent.

The government plans to review all research and development projects related to AI crime, including dark web drug investigations and predictive policing platforms. The review will identify technology gaps and frontline needs — the goal is to create a full‑cycle response system covering prevention, investigation and victim protection.

A cross‑ministry consultative body on AI crime was launched in June, and officials are now pushing to establish an integrated response unit to act as a national “control tower.” The unit will coordinate ministries, work with the private sector and activate rapid‑response systems when social issues arise.

The Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology published an e-book in Korean on the “Establishment of future scientific policing innovation and technology systems with research on countermeasures for hybrid threats.”

The strategy reflects a broader shift toward treating AI-driven crime as an infrastructure challenge, requiring coordinated investment in biometrics, digital identity, cybersecurity and law enforcement rather than isolated fraud prevention tools.

Article Topics

AI fraud  |  biometrics  |  deepfakes  |  fraud prevention  |  law enforcement  |  South Korea  |  synthetic identity fraud