Minister CHAE Hwi-young of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) met with representatives from the content industry and internet service providers at the Korea Copyright Protection Agency (KCOPA) on April 27 (Monday). At the meeting, participants agreed to work together to ensure the successful implementation of emergency blocking and access-blocking systems for illegal websites.

The event was organized ahead of the implementation of these systems, introduced under the revised Copyright Act, to bring together relevant stakeholders and reaffirm their commitment to a successful launch. Participants included KCOPA; representatives from the content production and distribution industry, including CJ ENM, the Korean Broadcasters Association, Naver Webtoon, Kakao Entertainment, the Korea Cartoonist Association, and the Korea Association of Game Industry; and internet service providers, including KT, SK Broadband, LG U+, and Dreamline. The systems will be fully implemented starting May 11.

The meeting also served as an opportunity to enhance mutual understanding among the government, the content industry, and internet service providers, and to reaffirm the need for close cooperation. The MCST and KCOPA outlined the purpose, expected outcomes, and preparations for the implementation of the systems. Representatives from the content industry discussed the severity of copyright infringement, their response efforts, and their requests to the MCST regarding the implementation of the systems, while internet service providers explained the procedures and methods for carrying out access-blocking measures. Participating organizations also presented short phrases reflecting their respective characteristics and expressing their hopes for the successful implementation of the systems.

Minister CHAE stated, “The long-standing aspirations of creators and the content industry, who have suffered from copyright infringement, together with the MCST’s strong commitment to protecting copyright, have driven the establishment of these systems.” He added, “Now that we have at last put in place systems that enable the MCST to better fulfill its role, we will remain vigilant until illegal websites are eliminated through their implementation.”