S. Korea takes issue diplomatically with illicit distribution of cultural content in China

SEOUL, Oct. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has delivered a formal message of concern to China over the issue of the illicit distribution of Korean cultural content in the neighboring country, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday, amid reports that Netflix's original Korean series "Squid Game" has become a target of online piracy.

Many Chinese people have reportedly watched the popular nine-part thriller through illegal streaming and download sites as Netflix is not available in China. The Voluntary Agency Network of Korea, a civic group, recently began a campaign to stop the illegal distribution of copyrighted content.

"(The government) has been actively responding to that, including raising the issue with the Chinese authorities regarding illicit online videos, illegal copies of game items, webtoon plagiarism and illicit services, and infringement on copyrights on characters and images," Choi Young-sam, the spokesperson of the ministry, told a regular press briefing.

Choi added that the ministry, in cooperation with other relevant agencies, will strengthen activities to prevent violations of copyrights on Korea's cultural content and more rapidly respond if those rights are infringed on.

"Squid Game" features hundreds of debt-ridden people taking part in a series of deadly Korean children's playground games to win 45.6 billion won (US$38.5 million) in prize money.

The drama rose to the top of Netflix's most-viewed releases in 90 countries around the world.

sshluck@yna.co.kr
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