Seoul (VNA) - Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism coordinated with the Korea Copyright Commission (KCC) to organise a copyright conference and an inter-governmental meeting as part of the Republic of Korea (RoK) - Southeast Asia Copyright Forum 2025 that took place in Seoul from May 20-21.

The intergovernmental meeting, held six years after the inaugural session in 2019, drew government officials from three Southeast Asian nations – Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines - and aimed to maintain close cooperative ties with the three Southeast Asian partners.

At the copyright forum held on May 20, discussions centred on the centralised copyright management systems in each country. Participants shared the RoK's practical experience and explored collaborative approaches to addressing economic losses caused by online copyright infringement. The talks also covered copyright protection policies and prospects for international cooperation among the four nations.

According to the RoK's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the session included discussions on digitalising systems such as copyright registration in partnership with Vietnam. With Thailand, discussions focused on joint projects to raise awareness of copyright issues, while with the Philippines, the agenda featured joint enforcement measures, including using legal authority to block illicit distribution websites.

Jeong Hyang Mi, Director of the Copyright Bureau under the RoK's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, noted that Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines are key markets for the RoK, where the Korean Wave (Hallyu) enjoys strong popularity and which collectively have a population of around 300 million.

She said that the RoK will continue strengthening cooperation in copyright management, protection, and enforcement, while also working to raise public awareness to support the sustainable development of the Asian copyright ecosystem.

Since establishing its copyright office in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2007, the ministry has maintained close cooperation with the three Southeast Asian countries for over a decade, through local offices in Hanoi (Vietnam) and Manila (Philippines), she said.

Additionally, the Korean government has regularly organised intergovernmental meetings and forums on copyrighs to share policy expertise and support improvements in local copyright environments, the official added.

As of 2022, the RoK's copyright industry was valued at approximately 320 billion USD, accounting for 10% of the country’s GDP. Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines are also prioritising national efforts to develop their copyright sectors and innovative digital economies.

Vietnam’s copyright sector is rapidly expanding alongside its digital economy, with music copyright royalties alone projected to reach around 15 million USD by the end of 2025.

Thailand’s creative industry contributed 8% of GDP in 2023 – roughly 40 billion USD – and the country is promoting the establishment of the Thailand Creative Culture Agency (THACCA) based on the model of the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA).

ꦉ Meanwhile, the Philippines’ creative economy is expected to account for 7.3% of GDP (about 34 billion USD) in 2024, with copyright registrations reaching a record high of 6,522 in 2023 – a 76% year-on-year rise./.