"Protecting Rights of Hallyu Stars like BTS"… Joining the 'Beijing Treaty'

Image source=Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] On the 22nd, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that it will join the "Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances" to internationally protect the rights of Hallyu singers, actors, and comedians. Through this, audiovisual performers such as BTS and other K-pop singers, drama actors, and comedians, who have not received sufficient protection overseas, are expected to have their rights protected in many countries including China, Chile, and Indonesia.

South Korea has protected performers by joining the "WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT)" in 2008. However, this treaty only protects auditory performances such as singers and musicians, limiting protection for audiovisual performers like BTS.

The "Beijing Treaty," administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), grants moral rights such as the right to claim authorship and the right to maintain the integrity of the work to audiovisual performers. It also grants exclusive rights of reproduction, distribution, and transmission for fixed audiovisual performances such as music videos. Furthermore, it stipulates an obligation to protect these rights for at least 50 years.

Korean copyright law already stipulates protection obligations that exceed those required by the Beijing Treaty, so no additional measures such as legal amendments are necessary. The "Beijing Treaty" comes into effect three months after more than 30 countries have joined; this condition was met on January 28, and the treaty is scheduled to take effect on the 28th of this month.

Currently, 31 countries including China, Chile, Indonesia, and Japan have joined. South Korea submitted its instrument of accession to WIPO on this day, and the treaty will take effect three months later on July 22.

Kim Jae-hyun, Director of the Copyright Bureau at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said, "With South Korea becoming a member of the Beijing Treaty, the rights of our actors, idol groups, and comedians can be properly protected in major Hallyu countries such as China and Indonesia that have already joined the treaty." He added, "Even after the treaty comes into effect, we will continue to closely monitor the implementation of treaty obligations among member countries and strive for cooperation."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.