A heated debate has erupted over a proposed amendment to South Korea's "Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes," reviewed on July 27 by the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Sponsored by Democratic Party of Korea Representative Heo Young and 10 others, the bill would penalize creating or viewing sexually explicit AI-generated virtual characters that appear human, with penalties of up to seven years in prison or a fine of 50 million Korean won for creation, and up to three years in prison or a fine of 30 million Korean won for possession or viewing. The proposal aims to address legal loopholes exposed in a recent trial where a defendant was acquitted due to the inability to prove AI-generated photos depicted real individuals. Critics argue regulating virtual characters—who have no real-life victims—constitutes overreach, with netizens questioning extending sexual violence laws to non-existent entities. The National Court Administration urged caution, noting the Special Act protects individual rights like sexual self-determination, which do not apply to non-existent victims, and suggested amending the "Information and Communications Network Act" instead.