The Bush administration on Thursday accused South Korea of failing to halt the piracy of American movies and music that it said was costing U.S. companies millions of dollars in lost revenue.
The administration announced that South Korea was being added to a priority list of countries that are subject to special monitoring and consultations aimed at making sure the foreign government acts to address the copyright piracy issues that have been uncovered.
If South Korea fails to comply the United States would have the ability to bring a case before the World Trade Organization. If the WTO ruled in America’s favor, the Bush administration would have the power to impose economic sanctions on South Korea equal to the lost revenue from the copyright piracy.
“The administration is committed to protecting American creativity and intellectual property, one of the most dynamic sectors of our economy,” U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick said in announcing the decision to target South Korea.
