Kyobo Rejects 100,000-Book Order Amid Growing AI Copyright Fears

Kyobo Book Centre, South Korea’s largest bookstore operator, has rejected a large overseas book order after struggling to verify who would ultimately receive the books and what they would be used for.

According to The Korea Herald, an overseas company with no previous transaction history sought to purchase around 100,000 different books — one copy of each title, regardless of subject or genre.

🔎 Why Was the Order Rejected?

The buyer reportedly acted as an intermediary and did not provide sufficient information about the final recipient or intended use. Kyobo was told that the end recipient was a data-related company, but it could not complete its verification and decided not to proceed.

The unusual request has raised concerns that books could be digitised and used as training material for artificial intelligence systems. However, the intended use of this particular order has not been confirmed.

⚖️ Why This Matters

The case highlights a growing debate over AI training data, authors’ rights and copyright protection. South Korea’s publishing industry is also seeking to assess whether similar bulk-purchase attempts have occurred and is calling for stronger protections for copyrighted books.

The central question is how AI development can proceed while ensuring transparency and respect for the rights of authors and publishers.

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This description is based on reporting by The Korea Herald and is intended for news reporting and public awareness. Original reporting, photographs and other media remain the property of their respective owners. We do not claim ownership of the original material, and this summary does not necessarily represent our views or endorsements.

Source:

The Korea Herald — https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10908784

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