Over 4,000 Domestic Variety Shows and Dramas Illegally Broadcast Overseas: 40s Sentenced to Probation

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] A man in his 40s who illegally transmitted domestic dramas, movies, and entertainment programs in real-time to overseas residents and profited from it was sentenced to probation.

On the 7th, Ulsan District Court Criminal Division 3 Judge Kim Yong-hee sentenced Mr. A, who was tried for violating the Copyright Act, to 10 months in prison with a 2-year probation and ordered a fine of 16 million won.

Mr. A was charged with equipping his home with facilities and programs capable of retransmitting 'Video On Demand' (VOD) and Internet TV (IPTV) signals from October 2018 to February last year, allowing overseas viewers to watch a total of 4,307 VOD files including movies, dramas, and entertainment programs, as well as about 200 broadcast programs in real-time.

He advertised on his blog under titles such as 'Watch TV on PC!' and 'Overseas→Korea TV Real-time Broadcast,' and when Koreans living abroad contacted him after seeing this, he operated an illegal transmission service on a membership basis for money.

The court stated, "Punishment commensurate with the crime is necessary as it infringes on the rights of many creative works achieved through considerable effort by the copyright holders and hinders the development of the cultural industry," adding, "Considering that the crime's profits were not large and that the defendant's health and financial situation are poor, this sentence was imposed."

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