Japanese national extradited to South Korea for operating pirate webtoon sites
L'essentiel
- South Korea's Ministry of Justice announced the extradition of a 37-year-old Japanese national, formerly a South Korean citizen, for operating pirate websites hosting unauthorized manga and webtoons.
- This marks the first extradition of a Japanese national under the 2002 treaty.
Résumé généré par IA
The Ministry of Justice and other related agencies in South Korea announced on the 11th that the body of a Japanese national (37) who operated pirate sites illegally posting manga and webtoons has been handed over by Japanese authorities.
The man was originally a South Korean national but acquired Japanese nationality in 2022.
Popular Japanese manga such as "Slam Dunk" and "One Piece" were illegally posted on the sites.
According to the South Korean government, this is the first time a Japanese national has been extradited since the Japan-South Korea Extradition Treaty was concluded in 2002.
The South Korean government commented, "This demonstrates the government's unwavering will to pursue responsibility to the end against overseas copyright infringers who cause damage to the entire Korean cultural content industry."
According to the announcement, the man operated the site from 2015 and posted about 1,400 manga works. He moved his base of operations from South Korea to Japan in 2017.
In January 2024, the South Korean Ministry of Justice received a request from the police and prosecution and was in consultations with the Japanese side.
The Japan-South Korea Extradition Treaty allows for the handover of suspects upon request from the other country for crimes punishable by death, life imprisonment, or imprisonment of one year or more.
In South Korea, copyright infringement of webtoons and other content by pirate sites has become a problem.
In May, the South Korean government introduced a system for emergency blocking of access to illegal content sites.
Previously, deliberation and administrative procedures were required, but under the new system, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism can order immediate blocking if illegality and urgency are recognized.
In the measures taken on the first day, access to 34 sites was blocked.
After the implementation, South Korea's Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Choi Hui-yong, stated, "The number of subscribers to regular distribution services has significantly increased due to the measures," while also noting, "There are many loopholes in the system, and illegal sites are evading while operating."
[Seoul, Motomi Kusakabe]
