Reauthorization System Introduced and Electronic General Meetings Mandated for Copyright Trust Organizations

Copyright Act Amendment Passes National Assembly
Legal Foundation Established for Protecting Creators' Rights

An amendment to the Copyright Act aimed at increasing the operational transparency of copyright trust management organizations and strengthening the rights of creators was passed at the National Assembly plenary session on March 31, 2026.

The amendment, sponsored by Kyoheung Kim, Chairman of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, introduces a new "duty of diligence for the benefit of members" for trust management organizations and mandates the holding of electronic general meetings for organizations above a certain size. It also introduces a reauthorization system by setting a validity period for trust management business permits, thereby increasing accountability in operations.

Until now, large trust organizations such as the Korea Music Copyright Association have been embroiled in repeated controversies, as decision-making power has been concentrated in a small group of full members. Recently, the need to strengthen oversight and supervision has resurfaced after the police raided the headquarters of the Korea Music Copyright Association over allegations of manipulation in royalty payments.

Chairman Kim stated, "While K-pop and K-content have achieved global recognition, creators themselves have sometimes become victims of opaque operations," adding, "This amendment will serve as an effective measure to ensure that trust management organizations focus on their core role of protecting the rights of creators."

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