The culture minister ordered access to dozens of illegal content websites to be blocked immediately Monday as a new law designed to curb rampant online piracy of web-based comics and novels took effect.
The government has stepped up efforts to protect intellectual property in one of the country's fastest-growing cultural exports amid ongoing concerns that piracy sites undermine creators' revenues and global competitiveness.
The ministry plans to expand the number of sites subject to the emergency measure while closely monitoring whether operators of such platforms will attempt to evade enforcement by creating replacement sites.
"We recognize that operators of illegal sites will not easily give up the profits they have gained unlawfully, despite the government's firm stance and new response system," Chae said in a statement. "Even if this becomes an endless battle, we will act swiftly to block these sites and minimize their lifespan."
Source: Korea Times News
