How should works used to train AI be compensated? ‘Seoul Copyright Forum’ to be held on the 12th

[Financial News] An international forum discussing licensing for works used to train generative artificial intelligence (AI) and compensation for creators will be held in Seoul. Ways to protect the rights of performers, including singers and actors, from deepfakes will also be on the agenda.
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on the 12th, the 2026 Seoul Copyright Forum will take place that day from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of The Ambassador Seoul – A Pullman Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Hosted by the ministry and organized by the Korea Copyright Commission (KCC), the event began in 2008 and is being held for the 19th time this year. Some 250 people from academia and industry, both in Korea and abroad, are expected to attend.
In the policy session, Park Hyeon-seong, director of the ministry’s Copyright Policy Division; Steven Tepp, former chief legal counsel at the U.S. Copyright Office; and Professor Chen Xiaoling of the Graduate School of Intellectual Property at East China University of Political Science and Law will present on copyright law and policy developments in their respective countries. Stanford University’s 2026 AI Index counted 50 notable AI models released last year in the United States, 30 in China and five in South Korea.
Next, Google copyright attorney Adrienne Tiemar will examine copyright issues arising as generative AI systems build their knowledge bases. Park Jun-woo, a professor at Sogang University Law School, will discuss ways to protect performers’ economic interests in response to deepfakes, while Newtune CEO Lee Jong-pil will address licensing and rights frameworks for music used to train AI.
Sarah Tran, director of regional policy and external relations at the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations (IFRRO), will introduce international collective copyright management projects. After the presentations, Professor Cha Sang-yuk of Kyungpook National University (KNU) Law School will lead a panel discussion.
The ministry and the commission released a ‘Fair Use Guide’ on AI training last February. It says that when determining whether using a work for training without the copyright holder’s permission qualifies as fair use, factors to consider include the purpose and character of the use; the type and purpose of the work; the proportion and importance of the part used; and the effect on the work’s market or value.
Advance registration for in-person attendance has closed. Viewers can watch the live stream on the Korea Copyright Commission’s YouTube channel and submit questions in the comments in real time.
On the 13th, a meeting of the Global AI-Copyright Consultative Body will be held for the second time. The ministry, the commission and speakers from major countries will hold follow-up discussions on issues raised at the forum.
Choi Young-jin, director general of the ministry’s Copyright Bureau, said, “We will draw on the various opinions discussed at this forum to explore legal and institutional measures that will enable artificial intelligence and copyright to coexist in a mutually beneficial way.”
[email protected] Jang In-seo Reporter