Music copyright group backtracks on AI-assisted song registration rule
After outlining the process for copyright registration, the Korean Music Copyright Association reversed course, citing a lack of social and legislative consensus.
Korean Music Copyright Association logo
YONHAP
Korea's music copyright association on Tuesday withdrew a rule that allowed AI-assisted songs to be copyrighted, saying the country still lacks social and legislative consensus on how to handle AI-generated music.
The Korean Music Copyright Association (Komca) board voted to rescind last month's amendments to its regulations on reporting and registering musical works, along with related changes to the standard contract terms it uses when composers and songwriters entrust their copyrights to the association for management.
Now, AI-assisted music is once again blocked from registering with the association.
Komca, which had blocked copyright registration for AI-assisted music outright, announced on Aug. 4 that it had revised those regulations to allow registration for AI-assisted works in which a human played a substantial, leading role in the creative process.
The recent reversal, however, follows corrective recommendations from the National Assembly and the government. Rep. Kim Jae-won of the Rebuilding Korea Party, a former singer who performed under the stage name Lia, held a press conference at the National Assembly on Aug. 10 opposing the rule change, saying no social consensus or legislative conclusion had been reached on the copyright issues surrounding AI-generated music.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also sent an official letter to Komca on Aug. 18 saying that broader discussion across the cultural sector should come first on the question of what qualifies as a copyrightable work and how far rights should extend for AI-assisted music.
Komca on Tuesday said it would establish legal and institutional standards for AI-assisted music through a consensus-building process involving the National Assembly, the government, the music industry and other stakeholders.
The association, however, stressed that withdrawing the rule change doesn't mean discussions on AI-assisted music are ending. “We will also continue reviews, monitoring, investigations and follow-up measures to prevent false or fraudulent reports and distortions in royalty distributions, within the scope permitted under current laws and regulations,” it said.
BY CHOI MIN-JI [[email protected]]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
