It Is Time to Take a Firm Stance Against Copyright Infringement [Kim Young-soo, First Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism]

\r\n
Our culture, built layer by layer through our history and daily lives, is the source of K-content. By drawing on that source, K-content can spread endlessly, like a tree firmly rooted in fertile soil.
However, that growth depends on an environment that can prevent harmful behavior from eroding the roots of our cultural industry in a timely and effective way. We are now living in what can be called the golden age of K-content.
K-content exports have also continued to rise every year, reaching $13.3 billion in 2023 and about $14.1 billion in 2024. We now live in a world where people everywhere watch and enjoy content featuring our culture and Korean protagonists.
But behind this bright side lies a growing shadow: copyright infringement through illegal websites. Operators of these sites pose as if they were legitimate rights holders, then distribute illegally obtained K-content for free as if doing users a favor. They also lure users to illegal gambling and pornography sites.
Works created by creators who stayed up through the night and paid with their pain are used as bait for illegal profits. In the process, the compensation that should go to creators and the content industry disappears into thin air.
The Copyright Act states that its purpose is to protect authors' rights and promote the sound development of the cultural industry through the fair use of works. As the ministry in charge of copyright policy, MCST has carried out measures such as removing illegally distributed online content and issuing warnings to uploaders, thereby putting the spirit of the law into practice.
However, existing response measures are ineffective against those who hide behind overseas internet networks to operate illegal websites. Our countermeasures must evolve in line with the nature and changing patterns of infringement.
If they move faster, we must move faster. If the damage they cause is large-scale, the scope of sanctions must also grow. At times, we need approaches that are completely different from the ones we have used before.
Creators and the content industry have long struggled against fast and cunning illegal website operators, calling for effective measures to address illegal sites.
MCST also agonized over how to come up with effective solutions, listening to countless experts and voices from the field. As a result, the revised Copyright Act passed the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea on Jan. 29. The emergency blocking and access-blocking system will take effect on May 11, and the other revised provisions will be implemented on Aug. 11.
This revision to the Copyright Act is a response to the cries of creators and the content industry. It now includes the operation of sites that provide links to pirated materials, which had not been clearly covered by the law, as an act of copyright infringement.
It also raises the threshold for criminal punishment for copyright infringement and introduces punitive damages and a system under which the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism can order emergency blocking and access blocking against illegal websites. These measures reflect a determination to make victim relief more effective.
In particular, the emergency blocking order system, which goes beyond existing response methods, has raised expectations among creators and the content industry. At the same time, some worry about possible side effects. For that reason, the Copyright Act spells out the requirements for emergency blocking orders, such as clear illegality, as well as remedies like objections and state compensation. Preparations for implementation are also being carried out more carefully.
Given that copyright infringement is becoming more sophisticated and increasingly organized through advanced technology, some may argue that these measures are still far from sufficient.
But if those who break the law keep finding new ways to infringe, the government will also keep finding new ways to respond. The strengthened measures against copyright infringement in the revised Copyright Act are proof that the government is continuing its efforts to protect our copyrights. They also mark the first step toward a stronger response to copyright crimes.
And on May 11, 2026, we plan to take that first step with the first emergency blocking order against an illegal website. Through swift and decisive action against illegal sites, we will continue to improve our response measures so that copyright infringement declines, the drive to create is revived, and K-content can continue to grow like a deeply rooted tree./Kim Young-soo, First Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism