A proposed bill requiring music distributors to screen song lyrics before release is sparking censorship concerns, with critics questioning how far the state should be allowed to go in policing creative content. The amendment to the Music Industry Promotion Act was submitted last week by Rep. Kim Hyun and nine other lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. The bill would require music distributors to pre-screen all tracks to determine whether they contain content harmful to minors before release. If any song is judged harmful and its creator is under 19, the distributor must block the track from release altogether. If the artist is an adult, the distributor must notify them that the track may be designated harmful to youth in advance, which would restrict it to adult listeners only. Under the current system, songs containing sexually explicit, violent or hateful content can be designated harmful to youth after release, which bans minors from accessing them and limits distribution. The Youth Protection Committee under the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family reviews content d