South Korea to allow AI-assisted songs to be registered for copyright

South Korea will allow creators to register AI-assisted songs for copyright if they played a substantial role, such as writing lyrics, composing, or arranging the work, local media reported Wednesday.

According to the Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA), songs generated entirely by AI from simple text prompts remain ineligible for copyright registration, the Korea Herald reported.

The move reverses the association's previous policy of withholding registration for AI-assisted works over concerns about potential copyright disputes and the lack of clear standards.

"The purpose of the revision is to formally recognize AI-assisted creative practices while safeguarding the rights of human creators," KOMCA said in a statement.

Applicants must disclose the AI tools they used, explain how they were incorporated into the creative process, and certify the accuracy of the information.

If further verification is needed, KOMCA may request supporting materials, including digital audio workstation project files, editing histories, sheet music, prompt records, and AI generation logs, to assess the extent of human authorship.

Producers may use AI to generate ideas, melodies, or arrangements, but they must be able to demonstrate that key creative decisions were made by a human.

Works later found to be entirely AI-generated or registered with false information could face suspended royalty payments, repayment of improperly received royalties, and termination of trust agreements.

KOMCA is also considering penalties of up to three times the improperly received royalties in cases of intentional misconduct or gross negligence.

The association said the policy marks South Korea's first codified standard for registering AI-assisted music while bringing such works into the existing copyright system.