[2022 National Audit] Rapid Increase in K-Content Copyright Infringement... Inadequate Response

Request for Removal of 300,554 Cases of Illegal Distribution... Increased Thirtyfold in Six Years
Deletion Completion Rate Stands at 42.3% "Urgent Need for Government-Level Response"

Cases of copyright infringement related to K-content surged last year.

According to data from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism disclosed on the 3rd by Jeon Jae-su, a member of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee (Democratic Party), the number of internet address deletion requests due to illegal distribution of K-content last year reached 300,554. This is about thirty times higher than the 10,699 requests in 2015, six years ago.

Although deletion requests flooded in, the response was slow. The completion rate in 2015 was 99%. Last year, as of August, it was 42.3%, less than half. The scope of infringement expanded not only to China but also to Southeast Asia.

Among countries surveyed for cumulative deletion rates, Thailand showed the lowest figure at 45.7%. Vietnam (57.6%), China (67.1%), and the Philippines and Indonesia (48.8%) also showed insufficient responses.

The sector with the largest scale of damage was music. It increased about thirty-two times from 523 cases in 2019 to 16,720 cases last year. Broadcasting and film cases rose about 2.5 times from 81,088 in 2019 to 205,338 last year.

During the same period, the cumulative deletion rate was lowest in music at 27.9%. Webtoons and broadcasting/film recorded 48.8% and 50.7%, respectively.

Rep. Jeon emphasized, "With the popularity of K-content, the targets and countries of copyright infringement are becoming widespread," adding, "Government-level responses are urgently needed so that creators can receive proper compensation."