Nobel Prize-winning writer Han Kang speaks throughout an interview with Swedish public broadcaster SVT, Sunday. Captured from SVT
By KTimes
Nobel Prize-winning writer Han Kang has not acquired any compensation for the usage of her works in textbooks and faculty classes. The Korea Literature, Tutorial works and Artwork Copyright Affiliation (KOLAA), accountable for distributing royalties for academic use, cited the rationale as “being unable to seek out the writer’s contact info.”
In line with Rep. Kim Jae-won from the minor Rebuilding Korea Celebration, KOLAA has not paid any royalties for the usage of Han Kang’s works for academic functions. On its web site, KOLAA lists 34 cases of Han’s works getting used — 11 in textbooks, 4 for academic functions, and 19 for lesson assist.
An official from KOLAA mentioned, “To be able to distribute royalties, we’d like the private info and consent of the copyright holder. We’ve got been notifying publishers in regards to the course of since 2017, however we couldn’t get hold of the writer’s contact info.”
Han Kang will not be the one one affected. Over the previous 10 years (2014-2023), unpaid royalties have amounted to 10.5 billion received ($8.1 million). Yearly, round 1 billion received of royalties stay unclaimed and accumulate within the affiliation’s funds.
“KOLAA’s clarification that they didn’t pay royalties to Han Kang as a result of they didn’t have her contact info is absurd,” Rep. Kim mentioned. “Royalties are a system designed to guard authors’ rights and assist their artistic actions, however KOLAA’s negligence on this matter and concentrate on growing its personal income is a severe situation. Speedy motion is required to make sure that authors obtain their rightful compensation.”
If royalties are left unclaimed for greater than 5 years, KOLAA, with the approval of the Ministry of Tradition, Sports activities and Tourism, can use the funds for public functions. Prior to now decade, KOLAA has used roughly 13.8 billion received this fashion.
Individuals browse works by Han Kang at Kyobo E-book Centre in Gwanghwamun, Jongno District, Seoul, Wednesday. Han’s books have bought over 1 million copies up to now six days. Yonhap
Unfair apply
One of many principal causes is the flawed royalty distribution course of. In line with copyright regulation, royalties for works utilized in textbooks should be distributed by KOLAA after being collected from publishers.
The system requires authors to use for his or her royalties instantly, however many writers don’t even know that their works are getting used. Moreover, KOLAA’s efforts to tell authors have been seen as inadequate, as demonstrated by Han Kang’s case.
Final month, well-known author Chang Kang-myoung additionally criticized the system on Fb, saying, “It’s unreasonable that authors solely discover out their works have been included in textbooks a lot later. Not paying royalties except authors apply for them is an unfair apply.”
This text from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Occasions, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Occasions.
