It is reported that a coalition of 16 South Korean creator and copyright organisations—representing diverse sectors such as literature, music, broadcasting, and visual arts—has issued a joint statement vehemently rejecting the “Korea AI Action Plan” spearheaded by the Lee Jae Myung administration’s Presidential Council on National AI Strategy. The groups argue that the government’s proposed policy, specifically Action Plan No. 32, favours a “use first, pay later” approach that allows AI companies to utilize copyrighted works for training purposes without prior permission or fair compensation, effectively prioritising commercial AI expansion over the legal rights of creators. Critics contend that the plan’s move toward easing “legal uncertainty” for tech firms misrepresents global fair use trends and imposes unrealistic technical burdens on individual creators through “opt-out” mechanisms that are difficult to enforce. Warning that this strategy abandons the sustainability of Korea’s cultural industries and undermines the fundamental principle of prior consent, the coalition—echoing similar concerns from the Korea Newspaper Association—is calling for a fundamental policy review to ensure that the national AI agenda includes a framework for equitable compensation before unpaid usage becomes an irreversible industry norm. A subsequent discussion session will be held on the matter.
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