Republic of Korea: Amendment to Copyright Act including content moderation authority governance was introduced to National Assembly

On 10 December 2025, the Partial Amendment to the Copyright Act was introduced to the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea. The Amendment would apply to online service providers and telecommunications business operators. The Amendment would define the roles and powers of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Copyright Protection Deliberative Committee, and the Protection Agency in overseeing copyright enforcement. Regarding the Minister, the Amendment would empower the Minister to order emergency blocking of access to illegal copies under the new Article 133-4 without prior Committee deliberation, subject to immediate notification of the Committee. Regarding the Committee, the Amendment would require the Committee to assess emergency blocking measures within 5 days of notification and to inform the Minister of its decision. Regarding the Protection Agency, the Amendment would require online service providers to report on enforcement actions within 5 days of receiving recommendations under subparagraphs 1, 2, and 4 of Article 133-3, and within 10 days for recommendations under subparagraph 3. If adopted, most provisions would enter into force on 11 August 2026, while provisions on access blocking would enter into force on 10 May 2026.