The Korea Broadcasting Channel Use Business (PP) Association urged the Korea Music Copyright Association to correct its collection practices, including comprehensive billing based on revenue.

On Tuesday, the Korea PP Association made the claim, citing a recent court decision on a billing dispute involving the copyright group.

According to the association, the Seoul Southern District Court on Jan. 29 dismissed all claims in a damages lawsuit filed by the Korea Music Copyright Association against a small PP. The court said actual use of individual musical works, the scope of use and the objectivity of damage calculations were not sufficiently proven.

According to the association, the Seoul Southern District Court on Jan. 29 dismissed all claims in a damages lawsuit filed by the Korea Music Copyright Association against a small PP. The court said actual use of individual musical works, the scope of use and the objectivity of damage calculations were not sufficiently proven.

In its ruling, the court said the plaintiff claimed that musical works it manages in trust were used on the defendant’s channel, but lacked sufficient specific identification of which works were used in which programmes and to what extent. On the calculation of damages, it said the amount was calculated only under internal standards and that an objective link to actual usage had not been proven.

Ahn Seung-hyun (안승현), head of the Korea PP Association, said the Fair Trade Commission had presented a collection principle limited to the scope of management and that the court had put the brakes on comprehensive claims without proof of individual use. He said it was time for administrative authorities to draw up clearer standards. He added that a full review and correction were needed across collection practices that have continued since 2013.