Want royalties in Korea? Prove your song wasn’t made by machines
South Korea’s Korean Music Copyright Association (KOMCA) has taken a hard stance against AI-generated music, banning registration for any song with AI input as of March 24, 2025.
Songwriters must now swear their work is 100% human-made—or risk losing royalties and copyright protection.
The policy, stricter than South Korea’s national guidelines, demands “0% AI contribution” and holds creators legally liable for false claims.
KOMCA, representing 30,000 members (including BTS and Psy producers), argues AI lacks the “human creativity” required for copyright.
While AI-assisted music gains traction globally, KOMCA’s move contrasts with the U.S. Copyright Office, which permits protection if humans contribute “sufficiently”.
For now, K-pop’s hitmakers must choose: embrace AI and forfeit royalties, or keep it purely human.
The group admits the policy may evolve but warns: “AI’s rapid rise demands clarity—before machines rewrite the rules of art.”
