As the operator of an illegal webtoon and web novel distribution site was extradited to Korea, the domestic webtoon industry welcomed the move and urged strict punishment and measures to prevent a recurrence.
Seven members of the Digital comics Anti-piracy Committee (DAC) — Kakao Entertainment, Naver Webtoon, Ridi, KidariStudio, Lezhin Entertainment, Topco Media, and Toomics — issued a joint statement on the 12th saying, "We welcome the news that the operator of an illegal pirated comics distribution site has been extradited to Korea."
The DAC said, "This extradition is a meaningful step in holding accountable, in accordance with law and principle, a representative act of copyright infringement that has long caused enormous damage to creators, rightsholders, and the platform industry as a whole," adding, "We hope it serves as a wake-up call to the illegal distribution structure that has infringed creators' legitimate rights and undermined the sustainability of the content industry."
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Justice said on the 11th that a 37-year-old Japanese national, identified as A, suspected of running a pirated comics sharing site targeting Koreans, was extradited to Korea. A previously held Korean nationality but naturalized in Japan in 2022, and while residing in Japan is suspected of operating a pirated comics sharing site targeting Korean users from 2015 to 2022.
The DAC emphasized that illegal distribution is causing serious damage across the creative ecosystem. It said the harm goes beyond simple losses from viewing works to reduced creator revenue, a contraction in legitimate consumption, secondary spread, and the loss of global business opportunities.
It particularly noted that, because early paid consumption and fandom formation are crucial in the comics and webtoon/web novel industries, illegal consumption has a significant impact on the legitimate distribution market. It also argued that, as illegal sites repeatedly change addresses and operate through circumvention, site blocking alone has limits, and strict punishment for operators and the establishment of a prevention framework are necessary.
The DAC said, "We hope awareness will further spread that illegal distribution is not only an act that infringes creators' rights but a serious crime that damages the foundation for the industry's overall growth," adding, "We will continue to work closely with the government and related agencies to eradicate illegal distribution and protect creators' rights and interests."