Culture minister blocks access to illegal sites under new anti-piracy law
The article explains how South Korea has begun enforcing a powerful new anti piracy law aimed at blocking illegal content websites more quickly and aggressively. Under the revised Copyright Act, the culture minister can now immediately order internet providers to block access to piracy sites without waiting for long regulatory review processes.
The first enforcement action targeted 34 copyright infringing websites, including Newtoki, one of the country’s largest illegal webtoon and web novel platforms. Major Korean internet providers such as KT, SK Broadband, and LG Uplus were instructed to restrict access to the sites. The government says piracy has caused billions of dollars in damage to Korea’s growing entertainment and digital content industries.
The law is part of a broader crackdown on online piracy tied to Korean cultural exports, especially webtoons, streaming content, and digital novels. Officials argue that faster blocking powers are necessary because illegal platforms frequently reopen under new domains before previous enforcement actions can take effect. Authorities also plan to monitor and block mirror sites that appear after shutdowns.
Critics and online communities worry the measures could significantly disrupt global fan translation and scanlation ecosystems. Many international readers and translators depend on Korean piracy platforms as sources for unofficial translations. Some observers also raise concerns about internet censorship and the expansion of government blocking powers, although supporters argue the law mainly protects creators and intellectual property rights.
