KTV Opens Its Video Content to Public Use

On July 9, the Presidential Office announced that KTV (Korean Broadcasting System) will fully open its video content for free use by the public and media. This decision aligns with the government's philosophy of returning public works, created with taxpayer money, to the citizens, while also restoring KTV's original role as a public platform that guarantees freedom of expression and access to information. According to Article 24, Section 2 of the Copyright Act, works produced by the state or local governments are considered public domain and can be freely used by anyone. The Presidential Office emphasized that public works should not restrict the public's right to know or silence specific voices. Furthermore, they plan to allow all media and new media outlets to fairly quote and utilize KTV's content for purposes such as reporting, criticism, education, and research, in accordance with Article 28 of the Copyright Act. The office assured that all media and citizens will have equal rights to access KTV content, which will serve as a foundation for public creativity, critique, and the expansion of the public content ecosystem. Previously, KTV had taken legal action against YouTubers who created political satire using its content, as well as demanding the removal of videos featuring Kim Geon-hee. The Presidential Office noted that during the previous administration, legal actions were taken against critical YouTubers and media outlets that cited KTV videos, which included copyright infringement reports and requests for video deletions. This led to criticism from the media and civil society, who argued that such actions were attempts to restrict freedom of expression and violated the principles of transparent public operation and media freedom.