South Korean publishers demand fair compensation for AI data training

The South Korean publishing industry is issuing a joint statement demanding fair compensation from AI developers for the use of copyrighted books in data training. This movement follows international concerns regarding companies like Anthropic, which reportedly used destructive scanning methods to ingest millions of books for AI models.

In South Korea, major retailers have reported suspicious attempts to purchase massive quantities of books. Kyobo Book Centre received orders for approximately 100,000 books from about ten foreign entities based in countries including the US and UK. These orders were unusual because they did not specify titles but instead requested any available books across all categories. Similarly, online bookstores such as Aladin and Yes24 have faced large-scale inquiries for used books from foreign companies.

The Korean Publishers Association is planning an emergency investigation into these mass purchasing attempts to assess the scale of the issue. The industry is calling for three primary measures: ensuring data transparency, establishing the principle of obtaining permission from rights holders, and providing just compensation for the use of creative works.