Korean Webtoon Artists Call for Japan to Extradite Operator of Illegal Webtoon Site
Join us on August 11 in Seoul as two associations hold a powerful press conference in front of the Japan Embassy. Stay informed and engaged.
Major Webtoon Piracy Sites Targeted in Seoul Protest
Two associations are taking a stand against webtoon piracy with a planned press conference in Seoul.
Petition for Extradition of 'New Rabbit' Operator
On July 22, the Korea Cartoonist Association and the Korea Webtoon Authors Association announced they have launched a petition demanding the extradition of the operator behind 'New Rabbit', a notorious illegal webtoon piracy site.
The Impact of Illegal Content Distribution
- As of August 2023, six major illegal content sites have attracted a combined 260 million visits, 2.25 billion pageviews, and 12.2 million unique users.
- New Rabbit alone accounts for over 1.15 billion pageviews, which is more than half of the total.
- Estimated damages caused by these activities reach around US$29 million.
The Operator's Other Activities
Besides running New Rabbit, the operator is believed to have operated other piracy sites such as:
- Book Rabbit (for web novels)
- Mana Rabbit (for Japanese manga)
Challenges in Legal Action
The associations claim that the operator evaded a criminal investigation in 2022 by acquiring Japanese citizenship. Despite repeated requests from Korea, Japanese authorities have failed to act, allowing the illegal activities to continue.
"This ongoing inaction has compelled creators themselves to step forward and demand extradition," they stated.
Upcoming Protest at the Japanese Embassy
On August 11, the associations plan to hold a press conference in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul. They are urging Japan to:
- Arrest the site operator
- Cooperate in extradition efforts
- Confiscate servers and assets located in Japan
- Encourage Japanese content companies to join legal actions
Call for International Cooperation
The associations emphasize the need for stronger cooperation between Korea and Japan to combat piracy and protect creators.
Source: YNA (Kyung-yoon Kim)
Image credit: Korea Cartoonist Association via Twitter