[JoongAng Ilbo, National, Social affairs, October 9 2008] Copyright case sees portal raid

Prosecutors raided the nation’s No.1 and 2 Internet portals yesterday, as part of an investigation into their alleged violation of copyright law.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said yesterday that it confiscated statements and computer data in the headquarters of both Korea’s largest portal, Naver, in Bundang, Gyeonggi, and that of the second-largest, Daum, in Seoul’s Seocho District.

According to prosecutors, millions of songs have been provided in an unauthorized manner.

“We just started the copyright infringement probe,” said Hwang Chul-gyu, a prosecutor on the case. “Offering songs online without permission severely damages the music industry in Korea.”