Korea passes law to combat scalping, piracy
South Korea has passed new laws to fight ticket scalping and illegal online content distribution. The National Assembly approved changes to several acts, including the Copyright Act and the National Sports Promotion Act, to better protect the country’s cultural industries.
Under the revised Copyright Act, the culture minister can now order internet providers to block illegal websites quickly, especially those that share pirated content. The law also introduces stronger punishments, including prison sentences of up to seven years and higher fines. Courts may also require offenders to pay up to five times the financial damage they caused.
The government estimates that illegal content distribution causes more than 4 trillion won in losses each year. Some parts of the new copyright law will take effect in six months, while emergency website blocking can begin in three months.
The amendments also include a complete ban on ticket scalping for concerts and sports events. In the past, authorities mainly focused on cases involving automated programs, but the new law makes all unfair resale practices illegal, even without using special software.
Ticket sellers and online platforms must now take steps to prevent illegal resales. Violators may face heavy fines, profit confiscation, and other penalties. The government says these measures are necessary to support the long-term growth of Korean culture and entertainment industries.
Source : https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10665854
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