Authors' Rights Symposium Shines Spotlight on Copyright in South Korea
On 11 May, SACEM and KOMCA held a symposium on authors’ rights in Seoul, South Korea. The symposium brought together approximately 60 participants spanning music creators, academics, broadcaster representatives, technology companies and more. The landmark event, which took place in the celebrated Dongdaemum Design Plaza, joined by distinguished participants including the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea Deputy Speaker Jeong Kab-Yoon, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to the Republic of Korea Fabien Penone, SACEM Chairman Laurent Petitgirard, KOMCA Chairman Yun Myeong-Sun and KORRA Vice President Kim Byung-Jun.
SACEM Chairman Laurent Petitgirard urged the introduction of a private copying levy system in South Korea, presenting on France’s private copying levy collection to give additional detail. KOMCA Chairman Yun Myeong-Sun and KORRA Vice President Kim Byung-Jun also stated the need of such a system in South Korea.
CISAC Regional Director for Asia-Pacific Benjamin Ng was invited to the symposium to speak on the challenges of exercising public performance rights in South Korea. During his speech, he urged the government to remove the unreasonable restrictions in the Copyright Act, which serve as obstacles for copyright owners in exercising their legitimate interest in public performance rights.
SACEM University Director Claire Giraudin presented the current state of copyright protection in Europe.
Prior to the symposium, a high-level meeting was held between Deputy Speaker Kab-Yoon, Ambassador Penone, Mr Petitgirard, Mr Myeong-Sun and Mr Ng. The meeting allowed Mr Petitgirard to urge the Deputy Speaker to form a committee at the National Assembly to consider the introduction of a private copying levy system in South Korea. At the moment, the Korea Copyright Act includes a private copying exemption provision that allows reproduction of copyright works without permission from the copyright owner. Without a corresponding private copying levy system, the private copying exemption puts rights holders at a disadvantage.