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Korea's copyright organizations sign MOU on royalty collection from fitness industry

Published: 07 Mar. 2025, 18:11

Representatives from KFMA, Koscap, FKMP, KEPA and LIV Music pose for a photo. [LIV MUSIC]

Korea’s major music rights organizations signed a memorandum of understanding on Friday to facilitate the collection and distribution of fees from the fitness industry, as many fitness businesses often get involved in legal conflicts over music usage.

“With this agreement, our member businesses can conveniently use music while adhering to copyright laws,” said Kim Sung-woo, representative of the Korea Fitness Manager Association (KFMA) at the signing ceremony held on Friday.

“We expect this initiative to enhance industry credibility and contribute to fostering a healthier culture."

Fitness centers across the country have faced increasing legal disputes over unpaid music copyright fees mainly due to complicated legal processes, according to KFMA.

"Rather than viewing business owners as copyright violators, we recognize them as customers in the performance market and aim to create a sustainable model for coexistence,” said LIV Music CEO Kim Yong-hoon.

The organizations that joined the initiative on Friday are KFMA, the national performance rights collection agency LIV Music, the Korean Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, the Federation of Korean Music Performers and the Korea Entertainment Producers’ Association.

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [[email protected]]