In the digital era, copyright is facing unprecedented challenges. The
widespread proliferation and innovative use of digital technologies has
transformed the world in which copyright operates and revolutionized the
way content is created, distributed, and consumed.
The digital environment and its ever-evolving array of formats and
platforms are spawning new ways of exploiting copyright and creating
many new business opportunities. While it offers conditions which favor
the diffusion and availability of content, it is making the task of extracting
value from the use of these works more difficult. Traditional relationships
are blurring and new ones are emerging which unsurprisingly offers fertile
ground for legal battles over claims of infringement and abuse.
This extensive compilation of landmark legal decisions relating to the music
industry by courts in the Asia-Pacific region offers some very interesting
insights into the different ways in which copyright and related rights are
being handled in various jurisdictions. It is a useful reference for the many
professionals who are seeking to navigate the music industry’s increasingly
complex legal and commercial landscape.
WIPO would like to express its gratitude to the Ministry of Culture, Sports
and Tourism of the Republic of Korea for generously funding this project
from the Korean Funds-in-Trust and for its continued commitment to
supporting and promoting the use of IP in developing countries.
My special thanks go to Professor Dr. Daniel Seng, Associate Professor,
Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore, for his dedication and
untiring efforts in putting together this informative collection.