[Exclusive] "No Face, So They Deceive Freely"... Surge in Online 'Jjaktung and Illegal Copies'

Online Illegal Piracy Cases Double in 5 Years
Online Distribution of 'Jjakttung' Counterfeit Products Also Increases Over 10-Fold Amid Crackdown
National Intellectual Property Committee and Related Agencies Take Measures

Seized counterfeit products. Stock photo.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] With the activation of online activities and the contactless economy due to the COVID-19 pandemic, intellectual property rights infringements such as the sale of counterfeit (fake) products and distribution of illegal copies through online channels are rapidly increasing. In particular, in South Korea, the epicenter of the Korean Wave, overseas intellectual property rights infringements such as illegal copying of cultural content are causing serious damage. Accordingly, the government has begun to prepare countermeasures in cooperation with international organizations.

According to the National Intellectual Property Committee under the President on the 23rd, recently, intellectual property rights infringement acts such as the sale of 'fake' products and distribution of illegal copies through online channels have been rampant. Last year, the number of crackdowns and actions on online counterfeit product distribution reached a total of 137,382 cases. By type, there were 10,446 cases on 'open markets,' SNS, and portals, 394 cases on 'individual shopping malls,' and 126,542 cases detected by the 'online home monitoring team.' This is an increase of 7,844 cases (6.05%) compared to 129,538 cases in 2019. In particular, since the Korean Intellectual Property Office established the online home monitoring team in 2019 and began full-scale crackdowns, the number of detected 'online fake' product sales, which had remained below 10,000 cases annually until then, surged more than tenfold.

The illegal copying of content through online channels is also rapidly increasing. Last year, the government detected a total of 694,560 illegal copies and took measures including 349,998 warnings, 344,322 deletions and transmission suspensions, and 240 account suspensions. This is an increase of 22,801 cases (about 4%) compared to 671,759 cases in 2019. Especially with the advanced development of ICT, the number of detected online illegal copies has been rapidly increasing every year. From 264,982 cases in 2015 to 298,277 in 2016, 554,843 in 2017, and 571,416 in 2018, it has more than doubled in the past five years.

Accordingly, the National Intellectual Property Committee and government agencies such as the Ministry of Justice have jointly prepared countermeasures with international organizations such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). From the 23rd for two days, the 2nd Asia-Pacific Intellectual Property Law Workshop will be held online. WIPO is an international intellectual property organization under the UN, currently with 193 member countries, and South Korea has been a member since 1979. They will discuss measures to respond to intellectual property rights infringements in the online environment and establish inter-country cooperation and collaboration plans for intellectual property rights infringements that may occur across borders. Participants include officials from WIPO, the World Customs Organization (WCO), the European Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), legal and prosecutorial officials from the Asia-Pacific region, and domestic intellectual property enforcement officials (prosecutors, investigators, etc.) and experts.

Jung Sang-jo, co-chairman of the National Intellectual Property Committee, said, "Recently, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) upgraded South Korea's status from a developing country to an advanced country. Although there are various driving forces behind this change, the advancement of intellectual property protection levels played a significant role." He added, "I hope this workshop will be an opportunity to explore intellectual property protection policy directions that allow the Asia-Pacific region to grow together and to further strengthen the cooperation foundation."