Cooperation to Strengthen Investigation of Illegal Content Distribution Sites

Meeting with Investigators and Copyright Officials from 7 Asian Countries

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, together with the National Police Agency and Interpol, will hold the 'Interpol Regional Cooperation Meeting on Countering Illegal Reproduction' at the Westin Chosun Seoul Hotel from the 30th of this month to the 2nd of next month. Investigators and copyright officials from seven Asian countries including Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Hong Kong will explore measures to investigate illegal content distribution.

The discussion will include private experts in the field of illegal content distribution such as the Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance (AAPA) and the Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA) from Japan, Interpol officials, and the Korean branch of the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). They will share the latest cyber investigation technologies and cases, build a robust network, and establish a foundation for international cooperation.

Cooperation among investigative agencies from various countries is crucial for shutting down large-scale illegal streaming sites and apprehending their operators, as most servers are located overseas. Based on the memorandum of understanding with Interpol, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism supports various activities to expand investigations and crackdowns on copyright infringement. The plan is to strengthen international cooperation for investigating illegal distribution of K-content by activating personnel exchanges with investigative agencies from each country.

Im Seong-hwan, Director of the Copyright Bureau at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "As a content-exporting country, South Korea has the responsibility to lead copyright protection and infringement crackdowns in the international community," adding, "We will strengthen investigative capabilities and cooperation in the Asian region to establish a growth foundation for the content industry."