Have you heard of ‘Milcam’? Milcam is short for a small hidden camera used to record concerts or musicals. People use the Milcam to spread these video files on the internet. As digital technology advances, the illegal reproduction of this kind of work is worsening. The most common form of illegal reproduction behavior is copying original movies and music and the resulting files are spreading through Google.

  The Korea Federation of Copyright Organizations reports that the scale of the illegal duplication market resulted in damage amounting to 3,629 trillion won. The number of illegal duplication usages reached 22 billion 6,100 thousand.
This means 4 out of 10 people in Korea have used some form of illegal reproduction or have produced it themselves. 90% of the distribution channel is through the internet. People exchange contents through mobile applications and the use of torrents (Annual Report on Copyright Protection, 2015). Many people in Korea are ignorant with regards to copyright protection and laws. They rarely feel any guilt for copying these materials.

  Nowadays, many people use smart-phones. They enjoy passing time using Facebook or KakaoTalk. People also like to watch videos using those kinds of applications. Video content uploaded by users is often very exciting and interesting. However, you can also find many videos that were illegally duplicated.

  Many fans of TV stars take videos with their cameras or phones and upload these videos to YouTube or other video sharing internet sites. This is clearly illegal, but people think it is normal and acceptable action, so they keep doing it.

  The Korea Federation of Copyright Organizations is collecting data on illegal copywriters and any evidence of its distribution. It is clear from the numbers that we take illegal duplication for granted. People need to understand that by using the Milcam to illegally reproduce materials they can find themselves in a great deal of trouble. For example, if we duplicate a video or a movie off the internet, could be giving information to a third person. This means our personal information would be travelling around the internet. In addition, as a result of the prevalence of illegal copying in Korea, many foreign enterprises don’t want to distribute their games and programs in our country.

  Many creators are worried about the illegal duplication of their work. They cannot protect it from every single event that happens on the internet. They rely on people to have a conscience, and expect them not to do any illegal duplication. They public needs a better understanding of what is illegal and should stop taking part in the copying and spreading of these illegal material. We all need to take some time to self-reflect on whether or not we have taken part in illegal copying of artists’ materials.