{"id":752,"date":"2026-04-03T00:13:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T00:13:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/atlaw.kr\/en-blog\/?p=752"},"modified":"2026-04-03T00:13:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T00:13:17","slug":"advertising-copyright-infringement-south-korea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atlaw.kr\/en-blog\/advertising-copyright-infringement-south-korea\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Advertising Copyright Infringement Actionable in South Korea? A Case Law Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><!-- ===== Schema \ub9c8\ud06c\uc5c5 \uc2dc\uc791 ===== --><\/p>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n    \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n    \"@type\": \"Article\",\n    \"headline\": \"Is Advertising Copyright Infringement Actionable in South Korea? A Case Law Guide\",\n    \"description\": \"South Korean courts have developed detailed standards for protecting ad photos, ad copy, and composite ad materials under copyright law. Learn when infringement claims succeed and how damages are calculated.\",\n    \"author\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Person\",\n        \"name\": \"Taejin Kim\",\n        \"jobTitle\": \"Attorney\",\n        \"worksFor\": {\n            \"@type\": \"LegalService\",\n            \"name\": \"Atlas Legal\",\n            \"url\": \"https:\/\/atlaw.kr\",\n            \"address\": {\n                \"@type\": \"PostalAddress\",\n                \"addressLocality\": \"Incheon\",\n                \"addressRegion\": \"Songdo\",\n                \"addressCountry\": \"KR\"\n            }\n        }\n    },\n    \"publisher\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n        \"name\": \"Atlas Legal\",\n        \"url\": \"https:\/\/atlaw.kr\"\n    },\n    \"datePublished\": \"2026-04-03\",\n    \"dateModified\": \"2026-04-03\",\n    \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n        \"@type\": \"WebPage\"\n    }\n}\n<\/script><\/p>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n    \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n    \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n    \"mainEntity\": [\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"Are advertising photographs protected by copyright in South Korea?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                \"text\": \"Not automatically. Under South Korean copyright law, an advertising photograph qualifies as a protected work only if the photographer's individual creativity is reflected in choices such as subject selection, composition, lighting, camera angle, shutter speed, and timing (Supreme Court Decision 98Da43366, May 8, 2001). Photos that merely reproduce a product faithfully \u2014 where anyone would produce the same result \u2014 do not meet the creativity threshold.\"\n            }\n        },\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"Can advertising copy or product listing text be protected by copyright in South Korea?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                \"text\": \"Yes, if the author's independent creative effort is evident. A South Korean court found that an online seller's promotional listing \u2014 organized into headline, sub-items, and descriptions \u2014 qualified as a copyrightable work because the seller expended creative mental effort to select, structure, and sequence the content (Incheon District Court Decision 2019GaDan248820, August 13, 2020). However, generic descriptions such as cooking instructions or shipping notices that anyone would phrase similarly were excluded from protection.\"\n            }\n        },\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"How are damages calculated for advertising copyright infringement in South Korea?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                \"text\": \"South Korean courts apply a three-step framework. First, the infringer's profits from the infringement are presumed to equal the rights holder's losses (Copyright Act Article 125(1)). Second, if profits cannot be proven, the rights holder may claim the fee they would ordinarily receive for a license (Article 125(2)). Third, when neither can be precisely calculated, the court exercises discretion under Article 126 to award an equitable damages figure based on all circumstances.\"\n            }\n        },\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"If a company in South Korea commissions an advertising agency to create an ad, who owns the copyright?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                \"text\": \"Copyright ordinarily vests in the actual creator. However, if the commissioning party exercised substantial control over the creative process, copyright may vest originally in the client rather than the agency (Seoul District Court Southern Branch Decision 96GaHap2171, August 23, 1996). Regardless, a written assignment clause in the production contract is the safest approach for securing ownership.\"\n            }\n        },\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"Can a short advertising slogan be protected by copyright in South Korea?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                \"text\": \"Rarely. South Korean courts apply stricter scrutiny to short phrases because protecting them would unduly restrict everyday expression. A court denied copyright protection to the slogan 'Your points that change the world' on the grounds that it was too brief and simple to contain any protectable expression (Seoul Central District Court Decision 2015GaHap568102, July 22, 2016). However, the overall composition and layout of an advertising campaign may qualify as a compilation work.\"\n            }\n        },\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"Can a combined photo-and-text advertising layout be protected as a compilation in South Korea?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                \"text\": \"Yes. Even where individual elements \u2014 such as product photos or text \u2014 lack independent creativity, the selection, arrangement, and relative positioning of those elements can qualify as a compilation work (\u7de8\u96c6\u8457\u4f5c\u7269) under Copyright Act Article 6, if the overall layout reflects the author's creative choices (Suwon District Court, Seongnam Branch Decision 2016GaHap204512, May 10, 2019).\"\n            }\n        },\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"What practical steps should foreign-invested companies in South Korea take to protect advertising copyrights?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                \"text\": \"Foreign-invested companies operating in South Korea should: (1) include express copyright assignment clauses in all advertising production contracts; (2) clearly specify the permitted scope, media, and duration of use; (3) document the creation date and authorship of advertising materials; (4) preserve screenshots and metadata if a competitor copies advertising content; and (5) consult a South Korea-qualified attorney promptly, as the three-year prescription period for copyright infringement claims runs from the date the rights holder knew of the infringement.\"\n            }\n        }\n    ]\n}\n<\/script><\/p>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n    \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n    \"@type\": \"LocalBusiness\",\n    \"name\": \"Atlas Legal\",\n    \"image\": \"https:\/\/atlaw.kr\/logo.png\",\n    \"url\": \"https:\/\/atlaw.kr\",\n    \"telephone\": \"+82-32-864-8300\",\n    \"address\": {\n        \"@type\": \"PostalAddress\",\n        \"streetAddress\": \"323 Incheon Tower-daero, B-dong 2901, Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-gu\",\n        \"addressLocality\": \"Incheon\",\n        \"addressRegion\": \"Incheon\",\n        \"addressCountry\": \"KR\"\n    },\n    \"priceRange\": \"$$\",\n    \"openingHoursSpecification\": {\n        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#722f37;\n        color: white;\n        padding: 12px 24px;\n        text-decoration: none;\n        border-radius: 6px;\n        font-size: 16px;\n        font-weight: bold;\n        border: 2px solid #722f37;\n        cursor: pointer;\n        box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(114, 47, 55, 0.3);\n        margin-top: 5px;\n    }\n    br { display: none; }\n    strong { font-weight: bold; }\n    @media (max-width: 768px) {\n        body { padding: 10px; }\n        .content-container { padding: 15px; }\n        h2 { font-size: 18px; }\n        h3 { font-size: 17px; }\n        p, li { font-size: 16px; }\n        th, td { font-size: 14px; padding: 8px; }\n    }\n    .site-container, .content-area, .entry-content { padding: 0; margin: 0; }\n    .entry-content > *:first-child { margin-top: 0 !important; }\n    .entry-content { margin-top: 0 !important; }\n    .kb-row-container, .kb-column-container { margin: 0; padding: 0; }\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"content-container\">\n<p>    <!-- Table of Contents --><\/p>\n<div class=\"toc\">\n<h2>Table of Contents<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#section1\">1. What Is the Legal Standard for Copyright Protection of Advertising Materials in South Korea?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#section2\">2. When Are Advertising Photographs Protected by Copyright in South Korea?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#section3\">3. When Does Advertising Copy Qualify for Copyright Protection in South Korea?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#section4\">4. Can a Combined Ad Layout Be Protected as a Compilation Under South Korean Law?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#section5\">5. How Are Copyright Infringement Damages Calculated in South Korea?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#section6\">6. Who Owns the Copyright When an Ad Is Commissioned in South Korea?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#section7\">7. Practical Guidance for Foreign-Invested Companies Operating in South Korea<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#section8\">8. FAQ<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p>    <!-- Story Hook --><\/p>\n<div class=\"story-hook\">\n<p><strong>Case Background:<\/strong> A South Korean online seller discovered that a competitor had copied nearly the entire structure of their product listing \u2014 headlines, sub-items, descriptions, and layout \u2014 and was using it to sell identical products on the same platform. The original seller filed a copyright infringement claim. The central question: can advertising copy for an online shop ever qualify as a copyrightable work under South Korean law?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>    <!-- Direct Answer --><\/p>\n<div class=\"direct-answer\">\n        <strong>Direct Answer:<\/strong> Yes \u2014 but only when the advertising material reflects the author&#8217;s independent creative effort. South Korean courts apply a &#8220;minimum creativity&#8221; standard: the work must not merely reproduce what anyone else would have produced, but must carry the author&#8217;s personal intellectual contribution. Advertising photographs, ad copy, and composite layouts can each qualify, but they are evaluated individually and courts draw careful distinctions between protected and unprotected elements. (Copyright Act of Korea, Article 2, Subparagraph 1; Article 4(1)(1) and (6); Article 6)\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <!-- Story Development --><\/p>\n<div class=\"story-detail\">\n<h3>From the Courtroom: What South Korean Judges Look for in Advertising Copyright Cases<\/h3>\n<p class=\"disclaimer\">\u203b The case described below is based on actual court decisions. Parties have been anonymized in accordance with privacy conventions. Plaintiff is referred to as X; Defendant as Y.<\/p>\n<p>The Incheon District Court held that X&#8217;s product listing \u2014 built around a structured sequence of headline, numbered sub-items, and explanatory descriptions \u2014 qualified as a copyrightable work. The court reasoned that X had invested independent creative effort in selecting which attributes to highlight, deciding how to frame each point, and arranging the components into a cohesive whole. Y&#8217;s near-identical listing was found to infringe. The court awarded 10,000,000 KRW in damages by equitable assessment under Article 126 of the Copyright Act, noting that generic descriptions (cooking instructions, shipping terms) were excluded because any seller would frame them the same way. The decision was upheld on appeal (Incheon District Court, 2021Na69406, November 19, 2021).<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>    <!-- Section 1 --><br \/>\n    <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"section1\">1. What Is the Legal Standard for Copyright Protection of Advertising Materials in South Korea?<\/h2>\n<p>South Korean copyright law defines a copyrightable work as &#8220;a creative expression of human thought or emotion&#8221; (Copyright Act, Article 2, Subparagraph 1). Advertising is not listed as a distinct category, but advertising content can qualify under any of the enumerated types \u2014 literary works (Article 4(1)(1)), photographic works (Article 4(1)(6)), or compilation works (Article 6) \u2014 provided the creativity threshold is met.<\/p>\n<h3>The Minimum Creativity Standard<\/h3>\n<p>The Supreme Court of Korea has articulated the standard in terms that recur across advertising copyright cases: creativity &#8220;does not require full originality in an absolute sense. It means only that the work is not a mere copy of another&#8217;s work and contains the author&#8217;s own expression of thought or emotion. The work need only carry the author&#8217;s personal intellectual contribution and be distinguishable from prior works by other authors.&#8221; (Supreme Court Decision 2012Da28745, February 27, 2014, citing earlier precedent)<\/p>\n<p>The corollary limit is equally important: &#8220;Where anyone engaging in the same task would produce the same or substantially similar result, there is no creativity.&#8221; (Supreme Court Decision 2001Da9359, November 28, 2003) This exclusion directly governs the most common disputes in advertising copyright cases.<\/p>\n<h3>The Idea-Expression Divide<\/h3>\n<p>South Korean copyright law protects only the expression of an idea, not the idea itself \u2014 the so-called idea-expression dichotomy. Campaign concepts, structural approaches, and functional arrangements remain in the public domain. A court rejected copyright protection for the overall structure of an advertising campaign (&#8220;problem \u2192 need \u2192 solution&#8221;) on the basis that it constitutes an unprotectable idea, and that any campaign on the same topic would employ a similar structure (Seoul Central District Court Decision 2015GaHap568102, July 22, 2016).<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"section2\">2. When Are Advertising Photographs Protected by Copyright in South Korea?<\/h2>\n<p>The Supreme Court of Korea has established that photographic works are protected when the photographer&#8217;s individual creativity is reflected across the following elements: subject selection, composition, direction and intensity of light, camera angle, shutter speed, moment of capture, other shooting techniques, and developing and printing processes. (Supreme Court Decision 98Da43366, May 8, 2001)<\/p>\n<h3>Protected: Styled Image Photographs<\/h3>\n<p>Courts have consistently protected advertising photographs where the photographer made deliberate, creative choices. A photograph of a spa facility interior \u2014 taken from a specific vantage point chosen to capture the setting sun and ocean view simultaneously, with a resting guest arranged in frame to evoke the experience of the space \u2014 was held protectable because it embodied the photographer&#8217;s creative judgment about time, angle, and subject arrangement (Supreme Court Decision 2005Do3130, December 8, 2006). Similarly, a styled product photograph featuring food products and decorative props arranged to maximize advertising impact was found to constitute a photographic work (Seoul High Court Decision 96Na39570, July 22, 1998).<\/p>\n<h3>Not Protected: Pure Product Shots<\/h3>\n<p>Photographs whose sole purpose is faithful reproduction of a product \u2014 where the photographer&#8217;s role is purely technical \u2014 do not meet the creativity standard. The Supreme Court denied protection to catalogue photographs of ham products placed on white surfaces, reasoning that the objective was to reproduce the product accurately rather than to express the photographer&#8217;s creative vision, and that the technical skill involved did not amount to copyrightable creativity (Supreme Court Decision 98Da43366, May 8, 2001). Photographs of a restaurant&#8217;s interior that anyone would have framed similarly were equally denied protection (Supreme Court Decision 2005Do3130, December 8, 2006).<\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<th>Type of Ad Photograph<\/th>\n<th>Outcome in South Korea<\/th>\n<th>Leading Case<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Product-only catalogue shot on neutral background<\/td>\n<td>Not protected<\/td>\n<td>Supreme Court 98Da43366 (2001)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Interior shot of restaurant \u2014 no directorial choices<\/td>\n<td>Not protected<\/td>\n<td>Supreme Court 2005Do3130 (2006)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Styled product with props, creative composition<\/td>\n<td>Protected<\/td>\n<td>Seoul High Court 96Na39570 (1998)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Spa interior \u2014 time, angle, subject placement chosen creatively<\/td>\n<td>Protected<\/td>\n<td>Supreme Court 2005Do3130 (2006)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Commercial model shoot \u2014 pose, lighting, angle directed by photographer<\/td>\n<td>Protected<\/td>\n<td>Suwon District Court 2016GaHap204512 (2019)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"section3\">3. When Does Advertising Copy Qualify for Copyright Protection in South Korea?<\/h2>\n<p>Advertising copy is evaluated as a literary work under Article 4(1)(1) of the Copyright Act of Korea. The same minimum creativity standard applies: the text must contain the author&#8217;s independent expression, not merely recite information that anyone would state in the same way.<\/p>\n<h3>Protected: Structured Product Listing<\/h3>\n<p>In the leading case on advertising copy, the Incheon District Court found that an online seller&#8217;s promotional listing for marinated pork ribs was protected. The seller had selected which product attributes to highlight, framed each point in a deliberate way, and arranged the content in a three-tier structure (headline \u2192 numbered sub-items \u2192 descriptions). The court held that this level of creative organization, however modest, satisfied the minimum creativity requirement (Incheon District Court Decision 2019GaDan248820, August 13, 2020, affirmed on appeal 2020Na69406, November 19, 2021).<\/p>\n<p>However, portions of the same listing \u2014 cooking instructions, packaging and delivery terms, and purchase precautions \u2014 were excluded from protection because they consisted of information that any seller of food products would state in substantially the same terms.<\/p>\n<h3>Not Protected: Generic Property Listings and Short Slogans<\/h3>\n<p>A real estate company&#8217;s descriptions of apartment units for sale were denied copyright protection; the court found that the descriptions merely conveyed factual characteristics of the properties in language indistinguishable from other property listings (Seoul Central District Court Decision 2018GaHap590308, November 29, 2019). A charity campaign slogan was similarly denied protection on the ground that it was too short and conceptually simple to contain any protectable expression (Seoul Central District Court Decision 2015GaHap568102, July 22, 2016).<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"section4\">4. Can a Combined Ad Layout Be Protected as a Compilation Under South Korean Law?<\/h2>\n<p>Article 6 of the Copyright Act of Korea defines a compilation work as one in which &#8220;the selection, arrangement, or composition of materials reflects creativity.&#8221; This means that even where individual elements of an advertisement are not independently protectable, the way those elements are combined can attract copyright protection.<\/p>\n<h3>The Leading Compilation Case<\/h3>\n<p>The Suwon District Court, Seongnam Branch ruled that a composite advertisement for a home appliance \u2014 pairing a directed model photograph with product information text \u2014 constituted a protectable compilation work. The court reasoned that the relative positioning of the photo and text, the proportional sizing of each component, the arrangement sequence, and the decorative treatment of the text all affect consumer attention and information retention in ways that vary significantly across designers. These choices reflected the creator&#8217;s distinctive expression and were therefore protectable, even though the underlying product data supplied by the client was not (Suwon District Court, Seongnam Branch Decision 2016GaHap204512, May 10, 2019).<\/p>\n<p>The court also rejected the client&#8217;s claim to co-authorship, confirming that supplying data, funding production costs, and providing a brief do not constitute creative contribution to the expressive form of the work.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"section5\">5. How Are Copyright Infringement Damages Calculated in South Korea?<\/h2>\n<p>The Copyright Act of Korea provides three alternative bases for calculating infringement damages, applied in sequence depending on available evidence.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<th>Step<\/th>\n<th>Statutory Basis<\/th>\n<th>Standard<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<td>Article 125(1)<br \/><small>(formerly Article 93(2) of the pre-2000 Copyright Act, as applied in cases decided under that version)<\/small><\/td>\n<td>The infringer&#8217;s profits from the infringement are presumed to equal the rights holder&#8217;s damages<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2<\/td>\n<td>Article 125(2)<br \/><small>(formerly Article 93(3) of the pre-2000 Copyright Act)<\/small><\/td>\n<td>The rights holder may claim the amount they would ordinarily receive for a license to the work<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>3<\/td>\n<td>Article 126<\/td>\n<td>Where neither can be precisely calculated, the court awards an equitable amount based on all the circumstances<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p>\u203b Supreme Court Decision 98Da43366 (2001) and Seoul High Court Decision 96Na39570 (1998) were decided under the former Copyright Act (pre-amendment by Act No. 6134 of January 12, 2000). The damages provisions applied in those cases \u2014 former Article 93(2) and (3) \u2014 correspond to current Article 125(1) and (2), respectively.<\/p>\n<h3>Licensing Fee as the Damages Measure<\/h3>\n<p>In the ham-product photograph case, the Supreme Court confirmed that where the infringer&#8217;s profits could not be established, damages should equal the fee the rights holder would ordinarily charge for a license \u2014 in that case, the shooting fee for the photographs. A claimed industry practice of awarding ten times the shooting fee was rejected for lack of evidence. The Seoul High Court calculated the per-use license value at one-third of the original shooting fee (22,000 KRW per use), and awarded a total of 308,000 KRW for 14 unauthorized uses across various department store catalogues (Supreme Court Decision 98Da43366, May 8, 2001; Seoul High Court Decision 96Na39570, July 22, 1998).<\/p>\n<h3>Equitable Damages Award<\/h3>\n<p>In the product listing case, the court found it impossible to precisely quantify either the defendant&#8217;s profits or the plaintiff&#8217;s foregone licensing fee, and instead awarded 10,000,000 KRW by equitable assessment under Article 126. The court weighed the competitive harm caused by a direct copyist on the same platform, while noting that the creative threshold in advertising copy is lower than in other literary works (Incheon District Court Decision 2019GaDan248820, August 13, 2020).<\/p>\n<p>In the composite advertisement case, damages of 40,000,000 KRW were awarded, reflecting the production cost of the work (approximately 32,277,113 KRW per expert valuation) plus an additional amount attributable to the creator&#8217;s distinctive professional skills (Suwon District Court, Seongnam Branch Decision 2016GaHap204512, May 10, 2019).<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"section6\">6. Who Owns the Copyright When an Ad Is Commissioned in South Korea?<\/h2>\n<p>South Korean copyright law follows the creator principle: copyright vests in the person who actually creates the work, not the person who commissions or funds it. This creates significant practical risk for companies that commission advertising agencies without express contractual assignment.<\/p>\n<h3>Exception: Effective Control by the Commissioning Party<\/h3>\n<p>Where the commissioning party exercised substantial control over the creative process \u2014 preparing the visual brief, supplying props and set materials, and directing the arrangement of elements \u2014 a court held that copyright vested originally in the commissioning party rather than the photographer, who was found to have provided only technical execution (Seoul District Court, Southern Branch Decision 96GaHap2171, August 23, 1996). However, the Seoul High Court took a narrower view in a related proceeding, holding that contributing a shooting brief and props does not establish sufficient creative authorship to transfer initial ownership (Seoul High Court Decision 96Na39570, July 22, 1998).<\/p>\n<h3>Assignment by Delivery of Original Materials<\/h3>\n<p>The Seoul District Court, Southern Branch held that where a photographer delivered original negatives to the client without a specific agreement on copyright, this constituted an assignment of the full copyright. The Seoul High Court disagreed, treating ownership of a physical object and ownership of the associated copyright as legally distinct \u2014 a position affirmed by the Supreme Court (Supreme Court Decision 98Da43366, May 8, 2001).<\/p>\n<p>The practical lesson: delivery of a finished ad or its source materials does not transfer copyright under South Korean law unless the contract expressly says so. Companies \u2014 including foreign-invested entities operating in South Korea \u2014 should include a clear written assignment clause in every advertising production agreement.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"section7\">7. Practical Guidance for Foreign-Invested Companies Operating in South Korea<\/h2>\n<p>Advertising copyright disputes are common in South Korea across e-commerce, consumer goods, and B2B marketing. Companies with operations in South Korea&#8217;s free economic zones \u2014 including Incheon IFEZ (the Incheon Free Economic Zone) \u2014 should ensure their advertising content strategy is aligned with South Korean copyright law from the outset.<\/p>\n<h3>For Rights Holders<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Assign copyright in writing at the point of commissioning.<\/strong> Do not assume that paying for an ad transfers copyright. Require an express written assignment in the production contract covering all jurisdictions where the content will be used.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Specify permitted scope precisely.<\/strong> A license to use a photograph in a product catalogue does not extend to use in third-party retail publications. Courts enforce the agreed scope strictly.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Document creation date and authorship.<\/strong> Timestamps, internal drafts, email trails, and server logs can all support priority claims if a competitor copies your content.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Preserve infringement evidence promptly.<\/strong> Screenshot the infringing content with URL and timestamp before the infringer removes it. Notarized preservation of electronic evidence is recognized by South Korean courts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>For Companies Accused of Infringement<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Assess the creativity threshold carefully.<\/strong> Not all advertising material is copyrightable. Generic descriptions, functional text, and standard visual compositions may fall outside the protected zone.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Distinguish idea from expression.<\/strong> A campaign concept or structural approach is not protectable even if the claimant developed it first.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Verify the claimant&#8217;s ownership.<\/strong> If the claimant commissioned an agency, confirm that copyright was properly assigned to the claimant before the alleged infringement.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Consider the damages exposure realistically.<\/strong> South Korean courts tend to award measured damages in advertising cases, recognizing the lower creative threshold of commercial content relative to literary or artistic works.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>    <!-- FAQ Section --><br \/>\n    <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"section8\">8. FAQ<\/h2>\n<div class=\"faq-section\">\n<div class=\"faq-item\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\">Q1. Are advertising photographs protected by copyright in South Korea?<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\">A. Not automatically. A South Korean advertising photograph is protectable only where the photographer&#8217;s creative judgment is reflected in subject selection, composition, lighting, angle, shutter speed, and other directorial choices (Supreme Court Decision 98Da43366, May 8, 2001). Photographs that merely reproduce a product faithfully, or that would look the same regardless of who took them, do not qualify.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-item\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\">Q2. Can advertising copy or product listing text be protected by copyright in South Korea?<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\">A. Yes, if the author&#8217;s independent creative effort is evident. A court in South Korea found that an online seller&#8217;s promotional listing \u2014 organized into headline, sub-items, and descriptions \u2014 qualified as a copyrightable work (Incheon District Court Decision 2019GaDan248820, August 13, 2020). However, generic descriptions that anyone would phrase similarly \u2014 such as cooking instructions or shipping terms \u2014 were excluded from protection in the same judgment.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-item\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\">Q3. How are damages calculated for advertising copyright infringement in South Korea?<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\">A. South Korean courts apply a three-step framework: (1) the infringer&#8217;s profits are presumed to equal the rights holder&#8217;s loss (Copyright Act Article 125(1)); (2) if profits cannot be proven, the ordinary licensing fee is awarded (Article 125(2)); and (3) where neither can be precisely calculated, the court exercises equitable discretion under Article 126. In a product listing infringement case, a court awarded 10,000,000 KRW by equitable assessment; in a composite advertisement case, 40,000,000 KRW was awarded.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-item\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\">Q4. If my company commissioned an advertising agency in South Korea, do we automatically own the copyright?<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\">A. No. Under South Korean copyright law, copyright vests in the actual creator \u2014 the agency or photographer \u2014 unless the contract expressly assigns copyright to the commissioning party. Delivering finished materials or paying production costs does not transfer copyright. Always include a written copyright assignment clause in advertising production agreements (Supreme Court Decision 98Da43366, May 8, 2001; Seoul High Court Decision 96Na39570, July 22, 1998).<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-item\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\">Q5. Can a short advertising slogan be protected by copyright in South Korea?<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\">A. Rarely. South Korean courts apply stricter scrutiny to short phrases because granting copyright protection would unduly restrict everyday expression. A campaign slogan was denied protection for being too brief and simple (Seoul Central District Court Decision 2015GaHap568102, July 22, 2016). However, the overall design and layout of an advertising campaign may qualify as a compilation work if the selection and arrangement of elements reflects creative choices.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-item\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\">Q6. Can a combined photo-and-text advertising layout be protected as a compilation under South Korean copyright law?<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\">A. Yes. Where the selection, arrangement, and relative positioning of photographic and textual elements in an advertisement reflects the creator&#8217;s distinctive choices, the overall layout can qualify as a compilation work (\u7de8\u96c6\u8457\u4f5c\u7269) under Article 6 of the Copyright Act of Korea \u2014 even if the individual elements are not independently protectable (Suwon District Court, Seongnam Branch Decision 2016GaHap204512, May 10, 2019).<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-item\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\">Q7. What steps should foreign-invested companies in South Korea take to protect their advertising copyrights?<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\">A. Key steps include: (1) requiring express written copyright assignment in all advertising production contracts; (2) specifying the exact permitted scope of use \u2014 media, territory, duration; (3) documenting creation dates and authorship through internal records; (4) preserving screenshots and metadata if a competitor copies content; and (5) seeking prompt legal advice from a South Korea-qualified attorney, as infringement claims are subject to a three-year limitation period running from the date the rights holder became aware of the infringement.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The advertising copyright cases decided by South Korean courts reflect a careful balance: protecting genuine creative investment while leaving room for the commercial information that any competitor might legitimately need to communicate. For foreign-invested companies operating in South Korea \u2014 including those in the Incheon IFEZ and Songdo International Business District \u2014 understanding these boundaries is a practical business necessity, not merely a legal technicality. Practitioners with experience in Korean IP litigation can help map the specific risks and opportunities in each situation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"disclaimer\" style=\"margin: 20px 0;\">\u203b The information in this article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The application of South Korean copyright law varies significantly depending on the specific facts of each case. Readers should consult a qualified attorney before taking any action in reliance on this material.<\/p>\n<div class=\"author-box\">\n<h3>About the Author<\/h3>\n<div class=\"author-name\">Taejin Kim | Managing Attorney<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-info\">Corporate Advisory | Corporate Disputes | Corporate Criminal Defense<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-info\">Former Prosecutor | 33rd Class, Judicial Research and Training Institute<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-info\">Korea University (LL.B., LL.M. in Criminal Law) | University of California, Davis (LL.M.)<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-info\">Atlas Legal | Incheon Songdo, South Korea<\/div>\n<p>        <a href=\"https:\/\/atlaw.kr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Visit Atlas Legal Website<\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Table of Contents 1. What Is the Legal Standard for Copyright Protection of Advertising Materials in South Korea? 2. When Are Advertising Photographs Protected by Copyright in South Korea? 3. When Does Advertising Copy Qualify for Copyright Protection in South Korea? 4. Can a Combined Ad Layout Be Protected as a Compilation Under South Korean&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"default","_kad_post_title":"default","_kad_post_layout":"default","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"default","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"default","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[223,15,16,224],"tags":[638,637,605,640,639],"class_list":["post-752","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-corporate-disputes","category-corporate","category-criminal","category-white-collar-crime","tag-ad-photo-copyright-south-korea","tag-advertising-copyright-korea","tag-atlas-legal-incheon","tag-compilation-work-korean-copyright","tag-copyright-infringement-damages-korea"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Is Advertising Copyright Infringement Actionable in South Korea? 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