Korea's Music Rights Society Allowed AI-Assisted Songs, Then Pulled the Rule in 22 Days

A song cannot earn performance royalties from a collecting society until it is registered, and registration rules now have to say something about AI. In South Korea, that rulebook changed twice in a few weeks this summer. The Korea Music Copyright Association, known as KOMCA, allowed AI-assisted songs to be registered on August 3 and withdrew the rule on August 25.

The story is a close look at a question every rights society faces: how much human authorship is enough?

The timeline

One report, the Korea JoongAng Daily, dates the rule to August 4. Most other coverage says August 3, which is the date used here.

• March 2026: KOMCA applies a "0% AI" policy, according to Mixmag Asia.
• August 3: the new disclosure-based rule takes effect, allowing registration of AI-assisted songs with substantial human authorship.
• August 10: Representative Kim Jae-won holds a press conference opposing the change.
• August 18: the culture ministry sends a letter recommending broader discussion.
• August 25: KOMCA's board votes to withdraw the rule.

What the rule said

Mixmag Asia reports that KOMCA had earlier applied a "0% AI" policy from March 2026, under which songwriters had to certify no AI involvement. The August rule replaced that with a disclosure-based system. Works qualified when a human played a "substantial and leading role" in writing the lyrics, composing or arranging, and entirely AI-generated music stayed ineligible.

Mixmag Asia also describes the paperwork. Creators would disclose the AI tools used and explain how, and KOMCA could request verification materials such as project files, editing histories and prompt records. False declarations could lead to suspended royalties, repayment, and in cases of intentional misconduct, fines of up to three times the improperly received amount.

Why it was withdrawn

According to the Korea JoongAng Daily, Representative Kim Jae-won of the Rebuilding Korea Party held a press conference on August 10 saying no social consensus or legislative conclusion had been reached on copyright for AI-generated music. On August 18, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism sent an official letter recommending broad discussion across the cultural sector.

Edaily reports that KOMCA's board voted on August 25 to withdraw the standards. Chairman Lee Si-ha said they "should not be limited to the Association's own standards, but should lead to national standards that everyone can accept following sufficient discussion."

What stays the same

KOMCA said it would "continue to uphold the principle of not registering 100% AI-generated works" and keep monitoring to prevent fraudulent registrations. It also said it would work toward legal and institutional standards through talks with the National Assembly, the government and the music industry.

The Kyunghyang Shinmun's sports desk reports that works registered during the brief window will be reviewed and members will be notified of cancellation procedures. It also says so-called "one-click tracks," meaning outputs produced from a prompt alone, were excluded from registration. Mixmag Asia placed the August rule in the context of an IFPI announcement on July 30 setting three criteria for AI recordings: lawful authorization, substantial human creation, and no chart manipulation concerns.

That framework is the same one behind the chart rules we covered in the charts piece. KOMCA's reversal shows the difference between an industry body adopting a standard and a government agreeing that it should apply.

How other societies have handled it

In North America, the picture is clearer. On October 28, 2025, ASCAP, BMI and SOCAN announced aligned policies, according to SOCAN's announcement: musical works that combine AI-generated elements with human authorship can be registered, while works created entirely with AI tools cannot.

SOCAN's chief executive Jennifer Brown said the alignment "creates a legal and ethical path forward for AI in music." The three organizations also said training models on copyrighted music without permission or compensation is theft, not fair use, which is their stated position rather than a legal finding.

That is the same basic line KOMCA says it still holds, with one difference. In Korea, the government and legislature stepped in before the detailed rules settled.

Why registration rules matter

A collecting society can only collect and pay for works that are registered with it. When the rules for registering a song change, the effect is practical: a song that does not qualify may not be paid out, and a song that was registered under a rule that is later withdrawn may be reviewed.

That is the situation Khan describes for works registered between August 3 and August 25. If you co-write with Korean songwriters or release in Korea, check KOMCA's current notices instead of relying on last month's summary.

What it means for independent songwriters

Registration rules vary by country and can change quickly, so check your own society's current policy before registering a song that involved AI tools. Do not assume the rule that applied last month applies now.

The KOMCA rulebook did signal what verification might look like: project files, editing histories and prompt records. Keeping dated session files and notes on who wrote what is a low-cost habit that helps under any regime.

If you license songs for your own recordings, the writers' registrations stay with the writers. Every Starchild license comes with a certificate naming the writers with their PRO and IPI details, which you can check at /verify. Our earlier piece on human-written vs AI songs explains how to read authorship claims, and the chart eligibility rules show the same human-authorship line appearing in another corner of the industry.

Sources

• Korea JoongAng Daily: Music copyright group backtracks on AI-assisted song registration rule
• Edaily: KOMCA withdraws AI-generated music registration standards
• Kyunghyang Sports: KOMCA withdraws AI music registration standards
• Mixmag Asia: South Korea's KOMCA reverses ban on AI-assisted music copyright
• World Trademark Review: Korea's biggest music copyright collective shelves AI registration plan after government pushback
• SOCAN Magazine: ASCAP, BMI and SOCAN announce alignment on AI registration policies