South Korea’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Ministry has taken decisive action against 34 copyright-infringing websites, prominently targeting Newtoki, a major platform notorious for the illegal distribution of popular Korean webtoons and web novels. Minister Chae Hwi-young confirmed these significant enforcement measures aimed at protecting digital content.
Leading internet service providers in South Korea, including LG Uplus, SK Broadband, KT, and Samsung SDS, have received official directives to block access to these illegal sites. They are now undergoing internal procedures to implement these content restrictions effectively, according to the ministry.
This action initiates a structured process where a committee under the Korea Copyright Protection Agency, an affiliate of the culture ministry, will have five days to formally review and confirm the blocking of these 34 piracy platforms. The minister will then issue the final confirmation of the decision.
This landmark move represents the inaugural application of the newly revised Copyright Act. This significant legislation, which became effective on Monday after several months of preparations, empowers the minister to impose immediate access restrictions on detected illegal online content, streamlining anti-piracy efforts across the nation.
The South Korean government is intensifying its efforts to safeguard intellectual property within one of the nation’s most rapidly expanding cultural export sectors. These decisive actions address ongoing concerns that rampant digital piracy significantly undermines creators’ legitimate revenues and compromises South Korea’s global competitiveness in the creative industries.
The ministry has affirmed its commitment to broadening the scope of this emergency measure, extending its reach to more copyright-infringing sites. It will also maintain vigilant surveillance against operators who may attempt to circumvent enforcement by launching new, replacement piracy sites.
“We understand that operators of illegal sites will not readily abandon the illicit profits they have accumulated, despite the government’s firm resolve and this enhanced response system,” Minister Chae emphasized in a statement. “Even if this proves to be an ongoing challenge, we are committed to acting swiftly to block these platforms and drastically reduce their operational lifespan, protecting the rights of content creators.”
