▲ This photo, provided by the culture ministry on Dec. 16, 2024, shows the police raiding the residence of the operator of NunuTV, a site that illegally streamed domestic and international OTT content. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Yonhap) -- The operator of NunuTV, a site that illegally streamed domestic and international OTT content, has been arrested and indicted, authorities said on Friday. 

 

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism's Copyright Crime Investigation Division, the Daejeon District Prosecutor’s Office recently indicted the operator, identified as A, while in custody. A first trial for A is scheduled for January 6 at the Daejeon District Court.

 

Previously, on Nov. 9, the Copyright Crime Investigation Division, in cooperation with the prosecution, police, National Intelligence Service, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Korea, and the International Criminal Police Organization, apprehended A. 

 

The authorities seized the domains of NunuTV, TVWiki, and OKToon, illegal webtoon sites operated by A, and immediately blocked access. Luxury vehicles, a high-end watch, and virtual assets such as Bitcoin were also confiscated as proceeds from the crime.

 

▲ This diagram, provided by the culture ministry on Dec. 16, 2024, shows the criminal procedure used by the operator of NunuTV, a site that illegally streamed domestic and international OTT content. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

NunuTV, established by A in 2021, became notorious for illegally streaming paid OTT content. It operated with servers located in foreign countries such as the Dominican Republic and Paraguay, evading government crackdowns through methods like frequent domain changes.

 

To avoid detection, A used multiple virtual private networks (VPNs), foreign credit cards, and international cryptocurrency exchanges. A is also believed to have illegally copied and posted content, collecting accounts from legitimate webtoon sites to continue his operation. The investigation revealed that to maximize profits, A employed peer-to-peer (P2P) streaming technology to reduce video transmission costs.

 

Jeong Hyang-mi, Director of the Copyright Division at the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, stated, "This case shows that illegal websites cannot escape the reach of the Copyright Crime Investigation Division. We will continue to cooperate with relevant agencies and strengthen international investigative cooperation to protect the legitimate rights of creators."

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