In a decisive move to combat digital piracy, Korea’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Chae Hwi-young announced significant action against 34 major copyright-infringing platforms. This initiative prominently targets Newtoki, a notorious site widely recognized for the illegal distribution of Korean webtoons and web novels, the ministry confirmed.
This landmark enforcement marks the inaugural application of the nation’s newly revised Copyright Act. The updated legislation, which became effective this Monday following several months of dedicated preparation, now empowers the minister to immediately restrict access to detected illegal online content, streamlining intellectual property protection efforts.
The South Korean government is intensifying its efforts to safeguard the intellectual property of its rapidly expanding cultural exports. Amid growing concerns that rampant digital piracy significantly undermines creator revenues and diminishes the global competitiveness of Korean content, stronger anti-piracy measures have become a national priority.
Looking ahead, the ministry plans to broaden the scope of sites targeted by these emergency measures. Officials will maintain vigilant monitoring for any attempts by illegal platform operators to circumvent enforcement, including the swift creation of new, replacement piracy sites.
Minister Chae Hwi-young underscored the government’s unwavering commitment in a statement, asserting, “We understand that operators of illegal sites will not readily abandon their unlawfully gained profits, despite our firm stance and robust new response system.” He added, “Even if this evolves into an ongoing battle against content piracy, we are determined to act swiftly to block these platforms and drastically minimize their operational lifespan.”
