Source: The Chosun Ilbo
english.chosun.con
Home>Column
Now Safeguarding Copyright Is in Korea's Interest Too
U.S. President Barack Obama created a sensation during his recent visit to London when he presented Queen Elizabeth with an iPod MP3 player. Everything was fine until people found out that the iPod contained around 40 songs, including "Don't Cry For Me Argentina." Some people were saying even if the songs had been purchased and paid for, only the person who bought them has the right to listen to them, but does not have the right to give them to another person if U.S. copyright laws are strictly applied. That could carry a penalty of up to US$6 million or $150,000 per song.
The U.S. created copyright protection laws in 1790, just 14 years after it was founded. The founding fathers included in the country's federal law the concept of protecting intellectual creations as an individual's property at about the same time they established the U.S. Constitution. The first U.S. official charged with leading the country’s patent office was Thomas Jefferson, who was secretary of state at the time and would later become the third president.
The U.S. is particularly protective of its copyright for more practical reasons than history alone. In 2007, Samsung Electronics' brand value was worth $12 billion. The brand value of Walt Disney's "Winnie the Pooh" alone was worth $17 billion. From the standpoint of a knowledge-intensive country like the U.S., copyright protection is a significant part of safeguarding the national interest. Each year since 1989, the U.S. announced a watchlist of intellectual priority rights violators. Depending on a country being classified as part of the "priority watchlist" or "watchlist," Washington levies retaliatory tariffs on imports from the country.
Last week, the U.S. Trade Representative removed Korea from the blacklist for the first time in 20 years. "Korea is being removed from the watchlist in recognition of the significant improvements it has made during the past year, and the Korean government's policy direction of continuing to place a priority on improving its IPR regime," the USTR said. Among 77 countries, 46 are on America's blacklist. China and Russia made it again on the priority watchlist.
Before it won its independence, even the U.S. pirated intellectual property from England, France and other European countries. And the U.S. demands on less developed countries to pay for using its copyrights is being criticized as an attempt to keep them from catching up. But we live in an age when underwear bearing the image of Bae Yong-joon is being illegally marketed in Japan, while fake Korean mobile phones are being sold across China. We are no longer just the perpetrators of copyright infringement but victims as well. To support our content industry, we need to reach a social agreement to pay for the use of the intellectual effort of others.
By Chosun Ilbo columnist Kim Tae-ick
No comments:
Post a Comment