The Korea Music Copyright Association (Chairman Juga Yeol, hereafter referred to as the Music Copyright Association) announced on the 19th at its headquarters in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Able Law Firm and EL Law Firm to launch 'Copyright Contract Legal Services for Association Members' aimed at protecting the rights of music creators and preventing unfair contracts.
Recently, there have been increasing instances where Music Copyright Association members have signed copyright-related contracts such as the transfer of economic rights or the permission to use moral rights without adequately reviewing unfavorable conditions for the rights holders. In particular, 'one-time payment contracts', where only a fixed amount is received at once and rights to all subsequent revenue cannot be claimed, and unfair contracts signed during negotiations with platforms are representative.
This legal service includes △review of copyright transfer and moral rights permission contracts △inspection of contract clauses to prevent one-time payment contracts △legal consultation regarding overall copyright, and will support in-depth consultations and litigation connection procedures if necessary. It enables members to receive professional legal advice starting from the contract signing stage.
Future operations will expand into a formal system after a pilot phase. The Music Copyright Association will first provide pilot advisory services for three months, checking the entire process from service application to connection and completion of advice to identify improvements. During this process, it will analyze major consulting types and gather member opinions to establish efficient operational plans.
After the pilot operation, the Music Copyright Association will establish a legal service application menu on its website and member-only system, providing utilization guides such as application procedures and frequently asked questions (FAQ). Additionally, it will conduct member satisfaction surveys regarding the advisory results to reflect feedback, and each law firm will regularly compile counseling results and advisory details to share with the association. Based on this, the Music Copyright Association plans to prepare a comprehensive guide that all members can refer to during the contract process and will revise the operational methods to ensure systematic management.
With the launch of this service, the Music Copyright Association aims to enable members to receive swift and continuous legal support without going through multiple departments, while also considering expanding the scope of services in the long term to include litigation connection and overseas copyright dispute response.
Chairman Juga Yeol said, "To create an environment where music creators can focus solely on their creations, a fair and transparent contract culture is essential," adding, "The association will continue to strengthen proactive and professional legal support to prevent members from being deprived of their rights due to unfair contracts."
[Photo] Provided by the Music Copyright Association
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