Nintendo calls for South Korean crackdown on pirated software

Tech News

By Stevie Smith Sep 19, 2007, 15:38 GMT

Japanese videogame giant Nintendo has this week began putting focused pressure on South Korean authorities in an attempt to get them to clamp down heavily on illegal copies of its software and help combat the business of media piracy. EPA/STRMore pointedly, Kyoto-based Nintendo’s move marks the very first time it has actively sought the assistance of official prosecutors in Asia, having previously only issued warnings to those believed to be violating the company’s copyrights through the illegal copying of its games. The official complaint was lodged with the Central District Prosecutors Office in Seoul on Monday of this week, with the gaming titan pointing accusatory fingers at those uploading illegally copied Nintendo DS titles for distribution and also certain Web operators of allowing the uploading practice to take place.Nintendo’s January 2007 integration of its DS handheld into the Korean games market represented the company’s very first Korean venture and saw the innovative touch-screen device build sales of 270,000 units in its opening four month of retail availability, reports the Korea Times.However, pirated copies of DS software have since become a huge online presence thanks to the country’s significant broadband Internet penetration – which is currently the highest in the world. And, with repeated demands for uploaded copies to be blocked and removed from the Net failing to solve the problem, Nintendo’s Korean arm has now said:"They infringed on our copyright by posting Nintendo's game titles through the Internet without our permission," a Nintendo spokesperson said. "The legal action was taken against only some sites and users this time but we will take further measures if such a violation continues to take place."Nintendo has not revealed which sources are being targeted by its drive to put a stop to pirated copies ahead of the proposed introduction of the Nintendo Wii home console into the Korean market."So far, we only have warned against piracy and those who allegedly have earned profits from copied products," said Mineo Koda, CEO of Nintendo Korean, in a recent interview with the Yonhap News Agency. "But we have no choice but to take legal action against them."Nintendo’s move comes on the back of the company regaining the title of ‘top maker of consoles’ across the $30 billion USD global videogame market, a title it hasn’t held since 1990.

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