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The Korea Music Copyright Association filed a lawsuit against Starbucks Coffee Korea on Wednesday, demanding the chain pay copyright fees for the music played in its outlets. In the suit to the Seoul Central District Court, the KMCA said making free use of music whose copyrights belong to the association -- it cited hit songs like ˇ°Bring It On Home to Meˇ± and ˇ°My Girlˇ± -- infringed copyright.
The KMCA demanded the chain of caffeine beverage outlets pay W21 million (US$1=W1,048), part of damages incurred, and W500,000 in monthly copyright fees from now on. The association claims that unlike other coffee shops, Starbucks is selling ˇ°cultureˇ± as its headquarters in the U.S. sends out CDs containing the wallpaper music to be played in shops worldwide.
The association stressed that most Starbucks branches in other countries are paying copyright fees. Starbucks Coffee Korea said the copyright issue is dealt with by headquarters in Seattle as the CDs are sent from there every six months.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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