South Korean tech giant Naver is gaining increased attention from global investment banks. (Image courtesy of Naver Webtoon)
SEOUL, Nov. 26 (Korea Bizwire) – Naver Webtoon has successfully halted the operation of over 70 illegal overseas webtoon-sharing sites following legal proceedings in the United States, the company announced on Tuesday.
The company recently filed a subpoena request with a U.S. court, seeking personal information from a major content delivery network and two domain registration agencies that host pirate webtoon sites.
The court granted the request, ordering these entities to provide detailed information on the operators of the implicated websites, including their email addresses, physical locations, and payment details.
In response to the court order, the targeted websites, which collectively drew over 1.3 billion visits annually, ceased operations. It is believed that the operators opted to shut down rather than risk exposing their identities.
The subpoena was issued under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), a powerful tool for obtaining critical information to identify and pursue operators of illegal sites.
Kim Kyoo-nam, Vice President of Naver Webtoon, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to protecting creators, stating, “We will continue our relentless fight against illegal webtoon and web novel sites worldwide, maintaining a strict zero-tolerance policy. Naver Webtoon will spare no effort or investment in safeguarding the creative ecosystem.”
The action highlights Naver Webtoon’s determination to tackle piracy and protect intellectual property, ensuring a sustainable environment for creators and the webtoon industry.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
