Responding to Overseas K-Content Copyright Infringement Through International Cooperation

Discussion on Blocking Illegal Websites with Interpol and Others

The government is strengthening international cooperation to address the rapidly increasing issue of K-content copyright infringement overseas.

On June 10, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism held an international cooperation meeting on copyright protection enforcement at Hotel Naru Seoul MGallery. The meeting was attended by law enforcement officials from four countries?Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand?as well as representatives from Interpol, the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI Korea-Japan branch), the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office Patent Division, the Korean National Police Agency, and other domestic and international law enforcement agencies. They discussed current issues related to blocking and investigating illegal websites that infringe on the overseas copyrights of K-content. In addition, they explored ways to establish an effective international joint investigation system.

Since 2022, the Ministry and the Korea Copyright Protection Agency have been building an international cooperative investigation system to combat overseas copyright infringement of K-content, starting with the Online Content Protection International Seminar and working with Interpol and the Korean National Police Agency. In particular, in 2023, three individuals?including an illegal internet TV (IPTV) operator in Indonesia?were apprehended, and in 2024, a suspect providing illegal IPTV services was arrested through a joint operation in the Philippines. Earlier this year, two key figures who operated illegal streaming sites in Vietnam were taken into custody.

Jung Hyangmi, Director of the Copyright Bureau at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "We will further strengthen our response to overseas K-content copyright infringement through active international cooperation."

Meanwhile, major content industry companies?including Naver Webtoon, Kakao Entertainment, Kidari Studio, MBC, and Malaysia's Astro?also participated in the meeting to share the current status of overseas copyright infringement.