Culture minister orders 1st emergency blocks on 34 piracy websites, including 'Newtoki'

▲ South Korean Culture Minister Choi Whee-young holds a meeting at the Korea Copyright Protection Agency in Seoul on April 27, 2026. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, May 11 (Yonhap) -- Culture Minister Choi Whee-young on Monday issued the government's first emergency blocking order against 34 copyright-infringing websites, including the illegal webtoon and web novel platform "Newtoki."

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Choi notified the sites of the emergency blocking order on the first day of enforcement of the new emergency shutdown and access restriction system targeting copyright piracy websites.

The system, introduced through revisions to the Copyright Act in January, allows the culture minister to immediately order access restrictions on websites distributing illegal copies through information and communications networks.

Following about four months of legislative procedures and the establishment of related enforcement regulations, the system officially took effect Monday.

According to the ministry, Choi selected 34 websites that met legal requirements for emergency action, including clear evidence of illegality, urgency in preventing damages and the lack of alternative enforcement measures.

The ministry said it plans to continue monitoring trends involving illegal websites, including the creation of mirror or replacement sites, and gradually expand the number of websites subject to emergency blocking orders.

"Despite the government's firm stance and new response system, we recognize that operators of illegal sites will not easily give up the profits they have earned unlawfully," Choi said.

"Even if this becomes an endless fight, we will shorten the lifespan of illegal websites as much as possible through swift blocking measures," he added.

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