Sharing pirated anime and manga links could soon carry serious legal risk after South Korea approved a tougher copyright law aimed at curbing online piracy.
According to the Korea Herald, the National Assembly passed the amendment to the Copyright Act on January 29 as part of a broader effort to protect creators and media companies from illegal distribution.
The revised law increases the maximum prison sentence for serious copyright infringement from five years to seven, while the top fine rises to 100 million won ($68,000 USD). However, one of the most significant changes involves sharing links to pirated content.
South Korea ramps up pirated manga & anime penalties
Under the updated rules, knowingly providing or circulating links to pirated comics, webtoons, anime, films, or other media can itself be treated as a criminal offence.
That means not only pirate site operators but also individuals who spread those links with awareness of their illegality could face legal consequences from law enforcement.
Authorities will also gain stronger powers to block piracy websites, including platforms hosted overseas, allowing regulators to respond faster when illegal content is detected.
The tougher stance reflects growing concern over the scale of digital piracy and the damage it causes to entertainment industries that increasingly rely on global online audiences.
On January 29, one of the world’s largest manga piracy sites was shut down following a coordinated investigation, with the operator now facing criminal charges.
Japan alone saw an estimated $38 billion in losses linked to anime piracy in 2025, and officials are now investing roughly $650,000 in an artificial intelligence system designed to detect pirated manga.
