K-Copyright Guardians: We Protect K-Content

The Ministry of Culture Sports and Tourism (Minister Yoo In-chon hereinafter referred to as the Ministry) announced that it would hold a launch ceremony for the K-Copyright Guardians on Monday July 8 at 7 PM at the Modeu Arts Theater. This event is co-hosted with the Korea Copyright Protection Agency (Director Park Jeong-ryeol hereinafter referred to as the Agency) and involves content users creators and industry participants.

The K-Copyright Guardians will undertake various copyright protection activities aimed at enhancing public awareness of copyright protection and spreading copyright protection messages through campaigns such as Protect Copyright Right Now.

Increasing Importance of Public Awareness to Prevent Copyright Infringement
Last year President Yoon Suk-yeol instructed the government to devise comprehensive measures to eradicate illegal content distribution following the severe impact of illegal streaming sites like Nunu TV on broadcasters and OTT industries. In response the government announced the K-Content Illegal Distribution Eradication Measures in July last year reinforcing quick access blocks and investigations into illegal content distribution sites and strengthening international cooperation with Interpol and other organizations.

However alongside these enforcement measures it is equally critical to change public awareness to prevent copyright infringement. The Ministry and the Agency plan to launch a large-scale Protect Copyright Right Now campaign to elevate public awareness about the importance of paying for and respecting copyright. The campaign will start with the launch of the K-Copyright Guardians.

United Effort for Copyright Protection Campaign
The K-Copyright Guardians comprise 50 university students active consumers of content and creators from various fields such as video music and webtoons along with 37 content companies involved in production and distribution. The Agency selected 50 university students as copyright guardians in June. These students will create creative and unique copyright protection promotional content and spread it through various channels including their social media. They will also monitor illegal content distribution in blind spots like social media and online communities and report copyright infringement cases to the national copyright infringement reporting site (copy112.kcopa.or.kr).

Participation of Popular YouTube Creators Choreographers Actors and K-Pop Groups
Popular YouTube creator Juno of Dasha choreographer Choi Young-jun actor Baek Sung-hyun and K-Pop group IVE will participate as copyright guardians and ambassadors. Their participation reflects the growing importance of copyright protection for YouTube content and choreography creations as K-contents global influence rises. Representatives from the Korea Cartoonist Association Kakao Entertainment and Millies Library will also attend the ceremony to express their commitment to eradicating illegal content distribution and fostering a healthy content distribution environment.

During the ceremony participants will perform a group act titled We Are the K-Copyright Guardians and unveil the copyright protection campaign song Right Now Song sung by singer HYNN. K-Pop group IVE and actor Baek Sung-hyun will also join the campaign and deliver video messages emphasizing the value of respecting copyrights.

Strengthening Domestic and International Copyright Awareness Campaigns
The Ministry plans to strengthen copyright awareness campaigns using various promotional content to spread a culture of respecting copyright values. In response to the increasing global popularity of K-Content the Ministry will collaborate with Interpol overseas diplomatic missions and institutions like Sejong Institutes to address rising overseas infringement and launch copyright protection campaigns involving international users in countries like Vietnam.

Minister Yoo In-chon stated It is crucial to spread a social atmosphere where it is natural to pay a fair price for using copyrighted works and where disregarding this is seen as abnormal. This is the most vital foundation and a strong protective barrier for safeguarding our content industry. He added I hope the K-Copyright Guardians will play a pivotal role in promoting a culture of respect for copyright and improving copyright protection awareness.

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