The Broadcast Media Communications Commission said it signed an MOU with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on Friday at the Government Complex Seoul for the "realisation of a safe digital society".

The agreement was designed to build a standing cooperation framework to create a digital environment the public can trust. The two agencies agreed to strengthen support to prevent the distribution of illegal filmed material and protect victims. They also agreed to actively cooperate on laws and systems responding to changes in the artificial intelligence (AI) environment.

Key areas of cooperation include technical and administrative safeguards to block the creation and distribution of deepfake sex crime material that exploits AI, and building laws and systems that enable support for related victims. The two agencies will also work to establish a "victim-centered one-stop response system" by checking whether information and communications service providers comply with obligations to delete and block access to illegal filmed material, and by strengthening sanctions to prevent reposting.

They will also strengthen joint efforts to protect youth. The agencies plan to build related systems, including imposing obligations to ensure technical measures appropriate to youths' ages are applied within AI services and setting sanctions for violations. They also agreed to cooperate to prevent the spread of illegal advertisements related to international marriage brokerage businesses distributed through information and communications networks.

Kim Jong-cheol (김종철), chairman of the Broadcast Media Communications Commission, said the agency would draw up measures to protect youth in response to changes in the AI environment and would respond strictly under a zero-tolerance principle to digital sex crimes such as deepfakes. He said the two sides would maintain standing cooperation so the agreement leads to tangible change.

Won Min-kyung (원민경), minister of Gender Equality and Family, said she would actively cooperate to create a digital environment that everyone can use with peace of mind.