[Cultural Interview] Lee Shiha, Chairman of the Copyright Association: "In the AI Era, K-Copyright Will Become a Global Rule Maker"

First Interview with Lee Shiha, Chairman of the Korea Music Copyright Association

Building an Integrated Code System for Overseas Collections... Blockchain-Based Integration
Direct Response to AI Exploitation, Including Claims for Compensation

Ishiha, the 25th newly appointed president of the Korean Music Copyright Association, is posing after completing an interview with The Asia Business Daily. Photo by Dongju Yoon

The South Korean popular music industry stands at a crossroads, poised to become a massive market worth 300 trillion won. However, behind the dazzling success of K-pop lie significant challenges: disparate copyright code systems, leakage in overseas copyright royalties, and the formidable wave of generative artificial intelligence (AI).

On February 25, at Magok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, Lee Siha (45), President of the Korea Music Copyright Association, stated firmly, "I will completely transform the association’s structure to focus on common sense and reform." Having transitioned from a creator-best known as a member of The Cross and the composer of the hit song "Don't Cry"-to an administrator representing 60,000 members, he discussed the future of the music industry.

Lee officially assumed office at the association’s general meeting that day. His reason for pursuing the top position was simple: a sense of frustration he felt as a member. He said, "Even when members raised their voices, it took far too long for policies to reflect their concerns," adding, "Even now, in 2026, regulations that defy common sense are still holding the association back."

He defined himself as a "reformist rocker." He expressed his ambition: "Unlike previous presidents, who mostly came from pop ballad or trot backgrounds, I come from rock music. I will lead the association with the 'spirit of rock'-calling out what’s wrong without hesitation." Rather than simply reducing headcount, he also envisions restructuring the organization so that 200 employees perform the work of 800, achieving greater efficiency. He emphasized, "My mission is to build the most commonsensical association-one that is not an embarrassment to anyone-by carrying on the achievements of my predecessors."

The Era of 100 Billion Won in Overseas Collections... Securing Global Standards with a 'Unified Code'

The core task Lee has pledged to accomplish during his term is to block the outflow of overseas copyright royalties. While the association currently collects about 450 billion to 500 billion won annually, only about 40 billion won comes from overseas. He has declared his goal to raise this figure to 100 billion won.

The solution lies in building a "unified code." Lee explained, "The codes differ: copyright holders use the International Standard Musical Work Code (ISWC), neighboring rights holders use the International Standard Recording Code (ISRC), YouTube uses the Content ID (CID), and there are national identification systems (UCI). Because of these discrepancies, data matching is interrupted and royalty settlements leak in the process." Even with the same song, if rights information is not fully linked, usage details from overseas platforms do not accurately flow back to domestic copyright holders.

To address this, the association launched the "K-Music Rights Organization Council," a consultative body comprising six organizations-including the Korea Record Industry Association, Korea Entertainment Producers Association, Together Music Copyright Association, Korea Music Performers’ Association, and Korea Music Content Association-on February 26. This marks the first integrated response of its kind. Lee was elected as the council’s chairman.

Lee stated, "If we build an integrated server and design it on a blockchain basis, then apply it to overseas platforms, collection efficiency can be dramatically improved." He explained that because changes to rights and usage records would be accumulated without modification, the potential for disputes would also decrease. "Although this is a project with an annual budget of less than 1 billion won, its impact will be considerable," he predicted, "If we take the initiative and present this system, the 'K-Association' model itself could become a global standard."

Lee Siha, the 25th President of the Korean Music Copyright Association, is giving an interview to The Asia Business Daily. Photo by Yoon Dongju

Currently, the copyright matching rate on emerging market platforms such as Vietnam is less than 50%. While producers can collect revenue, there are numerous cases where rights holders without proper codes are unable to receive settlements. The association’s unified code is designed based on the Digital Data Exchange (DDEX) standard, with the goal of ensuring that every rights holder is identified instantly when a song is played. This is particularly significant as it reflects an attempt by a private consortium to break through the "song pitching" environment using technology rather than a government-led initiative.

Comprehensive Response to AI Copyright Issues..."Protecting Tools, Relentlessly Pursuing Plagiarism"

Lee also expressed a strong stance on the risk of copyright infringement stemming from the proliferation of generative AI. He emphasized, "Musicians who use AI as a tool should be protected, but we cannot tolerate acts that disrupt market order through music created using only a few lines of prompts."

He proposed "whether musical modification has occurred" as the standard for distinguishing between creation and plagiarism. Lee said, "True creators do not use AI-generated results as-is. They always go through steps of modification and recreation," adding, "Registering a song produced with a single prompt and no modification is clearly problematic."

Accordingly, the association plans to introduce a robust "proof of work" process. When registering works, members would be required to submit not only the completed audio file but also evidence of the creative process, such as project files (sequencing files) or screen recordings of their work.

He also stated, "We will collaborate with 20 to 30 major AI companies with significant market influence to build a system capable of identifying whether a particular engine was used in the creative process. If someone is found to have falsely registered AI-generated content, we will respond with a zero-tolerance policy, including full recovery of royalties and legal claims for damages."

The International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) warned in a report last year that the spread of unauthorized generative AI could erode up to 25% of creators’ royalties. That same year, Spotify deleted approximately 75 million spam-like tracks to block AI-based royalty theft. The association also plans to incorporate detection algorithms capable of identifying AI-generated works into its collection system.

Lee singled out Article 29, Paragraph 2 of the Copyright Act, which limits the collection of royalties from in-store music, as a "toxic clause" that urgently needs revision. In Japan, this provision was abolished in 1999, allowing for performance royalties to be paid regardless of store size. In the United States and Europe, in-store music is recognized as the "labor" of creators.

He lamented, "Internationally, it is common sense to pay royalties when music is played in commercial venues, but in Korea, there are far too many exemption clauses," adding, "There is very little we can say in international exchanges." He pointed out that as lawmakers delay legislation to court voters, the rights of creators are being left unprotected.

Lee Shiha, the 25th newly appointed chairman of the Korea Music Copyright Association, is posing after completing an interview with The Asia Business Daily. Photo by Dongju Yoon

Lee said, "The members' desire for reform is what put me in this position," and pledged, "Without waiting for legislative amendments, I will carry out the association’s own reforms within six months to restore trust."

Welfare policies will focus on effectiveness and universality. For veteran musicians who were active before the collection and distribution system was introduced in 1988, he plans to implement realistic welfare pensions of 700,000 to 1 million won per month, and provide meaningful creative support funds for new writers. Funding for these plans will come entirely from cutting promotional budgets, such as TV advertisements, and eliminating building remodeling costs.

His catchphrase is "Double Your Royalties." Lee said, "Rather than grand achievements, I want to hear from members three years from now that their royalties have increased," adding, "I will devote all my efforts to ensuring the association becomes an organization that contributes to the national interest."

Finally, he stressed the importance of social respect for creators. "Our society still does not show enough respect to creators," he said, "and the association will strive to become an organization that gives real hope to musicians."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.