Significant Korean webtoon piracy operator loses another source of income: Appeal court upholds two-year prison sentence.
Earlier this month, the Daejeon District Court's Criminal Appeals Division upheld the original sentence against Mr. A, the operator of Ajitun, one of Korea's most notorious webtoon and web novel piracy sites.
According to Korean media outlet News1, he will serve a two-year prison sentence and pay a fine of 71.49 million won (approximately $50,000 USD).
Theoretically, Mr. A could appeal to the Supreme Court, but this is generally reserved for disputes over legal interpretation rather than primarily to reduce a sentence (Yonhap).
Mr. A has already admitted to his wrongdoing.
Supreme Court Intervention Unlikely
Both Mr. A and the prosecution, who sought his conviction, are likely dissatisfied. Daejeon Ilbo reported last month that the prosecution had requested a five-year prison sentence, urging the court to consider the severity of his crimes and the impact on the industry.
The prosecution accused him of violating the copyrights of 2,509,963 web novels and 746,835 webtoons, and earning 121.5 million won ($84,000 USD) through illegal advertising, including gambling and prostitution. 50 million won ($35,000 USD) was seized following Mr. A's arrest.
Authorities and Entertainment Industry Unite Against Piracy
In an X post (formerly Twitter) last September, the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) labeled Ajitun as the "leading domestic illegal web novel sharing site" after the site was seized the previous month.
Major Korean entertainment companies, including Kakao Entertainment, Naver WEBTOON, Lezhin, and Toomics, had filed a petition calling for strict punishment (via Nate News).
Korea MCST via X post (formerly Twitter)
Ahead of the appeal decision, Mr. A, in his forties, stated he would "obey any judgment and live in repentance," but pleaded for leniency as his children were entering school.
His defense team stated, "At the time, the defendant was suffering from a pulmonary embolism and heart failure, and he committed this crime to support his Chinese wife and two young children."
Involvement of Accomplice in China and Alleged Minor Role of Defendant
Mr. A was indicted along with an accomplice in China; his defense team added that Mr. A's role in Ajitun was comparatively minimal and that "the site in question had less damage or impact than similar sites of the same kind, so we ask that you take this into consideration."
Mr. A had already received a suspended sentence in 2019 for a similar crime.
Sentence Seen as Signal for Protecting the Korean Content Industry
The conviction, hailed as a significant victory for Korea's anti-piracy efforts, comes as the country seeks to safeguard the future of its burgeoning K-content industry.
Following the arrest of the operator of Noonoo TV, a major piracy streaming website, Interpol Special Envoy Hong Seong-jin vowed to hold pirates "accountable for their actions."
He stated this after receiving an award from the MCST for his efforts to combat piracy, warning, "If we leave the underground market alone, it will lead to the collapse of the Korean Wave."
The Korean government recently announced a $100 million fund to boost its animation industry, produce content for older audiences and streaming services, and promote international collaboration.
Source: News1