Illegal K-webtoon sites generating $150 million annually shut down; Vietnamese couple arrested

South Korean authorities have dismantled three major illegal K-webtoon distribution websites and apprehended two Vietnamese nationals operating them, following an international collaboration with Vietnamese police. The operation, announced on June 12, targeted sites that generated an estimated 207.2 billion won ($150 million) in annual revenue through the unauthorized distribution of Korean webtoons. The closed sites, identified as 'Hari***', 'Manhwa**', and 'Kun***', were responsible for illegally translating and disseminating over 14,700 webtoon titles, approximately 70% of which were Korean. These platforms attracted an estimated 1.105 billion annual visitors worldwide.

Unlike previous cases where illegal sites primarily operated from local servers targeting domestic or regional audiences, this operation focused on K-webtoons translated into English. This strategy allowed the operators to reach a vast global audience across Asia, North America, and Europe. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism highlighted this shift, noting that the perpetrators utilized individuals fluent in Korean, such as international students, to facilitate the translations.

The investigation revealed that the Vietnamese couple, operating as a married couple, began their illicit activities in January 2023. Their business model relied on advertising revenue generated from the widespread distribution of copyrighted K-webtoons. The successful closure of these sites represents a significant effort by South Korea to protect its cultural exports and combat intellectual property theft on an international scale.

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Previously, illegal sites operated with local servers, distributing content to domestic users or locals. However, this case involved translating K-webtoons into English and distributing them widely to English-speaking readers around the world.