K-CONTENT ILLEGALLY TRANSMITTED ABROAD

[Anchor Lead]

The operator of Baro TV, which illegally broadcasted domestic live broadcasts, movies, and dramas abroad, earning around 30 billion won in criminal proceeds, has been caught by the police. It has been revealed that they operated as if they were a legitimate business, blatantly advertising through local Korean markets and media outlets.

[Pkg]

A slew of satellite broadcasting receivers are stacked up next to each other in this studio apartment. Each device is labeled with the name of the broadcaster and connected to broadcasting transmission equipment placed underneath. The devices are used to illegally transmit overseas, Korean broadcasters' live streaming programs and VOD content including films. The Cyber Crime Investigative Unit of the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency has arrested one domestic operator in his 40s on copyright violation charges, and indicted six former and current chiefs of firms based in the U.S. This comes two years after they were sued by three Korean broadcasters including KBS and the Motion Picture Association of America.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-hong(Busan Metropolitan Police Agency) : "The suspects set up firms overseas to avoid domestic investigations. They also changed CEOs regularly and opened and closed their firms repeatedly."

The perpetrators are being accused of illegally transmitting overseas some 250,000 episodes of live streaming programs and more than 2,600 episodes of TV dramas that aired on 52 domestic and overseas channels between 2016 and late 2022. They had more than 25,000 subscribers in 22 countries and reaped 30 billion won in criminal proceeds by charging a monthly fee of 20 to 30 dollars per subscriber.

[Soundbite] Park Kun-hee(OTT operator in U.S.(Wavve Americas)) : "The subscribers posted messages asking how to get refunds because service was unavailable. It seems that many people did not know it was illegal."

The police have seized some 300 units of transmission equipment and 350 million won in cash, and confiscated 300 million won in criminal proceeds before indictment. Korean police are cooperating with international investigators and stepping up the fight against the growing number of crimes involving copyright violations.