Story thread · 3 reports / 3 sources

North African operator busted in global crackdown on $14 mil. K-content piracy ring

koreatimes.co.kr · 5h · first reportShare

In a major blow to illegal digital distribution networks, Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in tandem with the Korean National Police Agency, Interpol, and industry giant Naver Webtoon, succeeded in dismantling three major piracy websites operating out of North Africa. The joint operation resulted in the arrest of a primary site operator known by the alias "DEV" and the complete closure of the illegal portals. The shuttered network — comprising dedicated webtoon and web novel piracy platforms alongside a third hub that aggregated material from both — had been active since July 2024. Authorities revealed the ring illegally copied and distributed 83,688 copyrighted works, including 30,926 webtoons and 5,202 web novels. Among the compromised intellectual property were massive hit titles such as "The Trauma Code." Korean cultural exports, collectively known as "K-content," accounted for approximately 57 percent of the pirated material. The ministry estimates these three plat