The rapid growth of generative AI is causing significant disruptions in the global music industry, and South Korea is taking proactive measures to address these challenges. In a historic move, six major music organizations in the country have formed a coalition aimed at combating what they describe as a looming crisis in copyright infringement linked to AI technologies.
The coalition, named the K-Music Rights Organization Mutual Growth Committee, was officially launched on February 26 and includes prominent members such as HYBE, SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, YG Entertainment, Sony Music, Warner Music, and Universal Music. This initiative also encompasses the Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA), the Korea Recording Industry Association (RIAK), the Korea Entertainment Producers Association (KEPA), the Together Music Copyright Association, and the Korea Music Performers Association (KOSCAP).
Lee Si-ha, a musician and the newly elected president of KOMCA, has taken the helm as the committee’s inaugural chairperson. He emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “The upcoming two years are a golden time that will determine the life and death of South Korea’s music industry.” Lee highlighted the necessity for collective action, asserting that individual efforts would be insufficient to counteract the overwhelming influence of AI.
In a joint declaration titled “In the AI era, we declare the noble sovereignty of human creation,” the coalition outlined their commitment to protecting creators’ rights against the challenges posed by AI. Their demands include a prohibition on unauthorized AI training without creator consent, mandatory transparency in AI generation processes, and clear standards to differentiate between human-created and AI-generated works.
The coalition identifies the current landscape as a state of emergency, driven by four interrelated crises: the rise of generative AI, blockchain decentralization, the international outflow of revenues from the Korean Wave, and the restructuring of the platform market. To address these issues, the organizations will collaborate through a dedicated AI response task force and a unified negotiation system.
