They’re most often read from top to bottom, left to right. They have vertical layouts, adaptability for various devices, and appealing colors. They originated in South Korea around the 1990s/2000s as computers and smartphones started gaining traction.īecause of their digital nature, webtoons are designed specifically with scroll-related features. In the most basic definition, webtoons are digital/web comics. From the way they’re read to the genres the encompass, they are both great in their own ways. While webtoons and mangas are similar enough for readers to switch between them, they each have their own unique characteristics. But which is more popular now that technology has been integrated into society more? And why do we even have this debate? Webtoon vs. Manga, which is better? Though they’re not exactly the same, they are similar enough that many who read webtoons began as manga readers. With the rise of Webtoons in recent years, it’s sparked a debate between readers. Things like Korean dramas, K-pop, and webtoons-also known as manhwa-have gained the attention of people across the world, making them leading factors for the Hallyu Wave. Other related concerns centre on the fact that these crimes are often linked to other criminal activities, such as terrorist financing, money laundering and human trafficking.įaced with this ongoing threat, INTERPOL continues to cooperate closely with the Republic of Korea and other member countries to facilitate the investigation and disruption of other linked and illegal websites, which are based in countries across the world.As the Korean Wave (also known as the Hallyu Wave) sweeps across the globe, we’re seeing specific elements of Korean culture gaining more popularity on the international scale. Illegal downloads and distribution of such content cause substantial financial losses for the industries concerned which in turn affects tax revenue and jobs. By working in collaboration with member countries and private and public bodies, I-SOP aims to combat crimes involving intellectual property infringement such as trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy.ĭigital piracy is a global threat, affecting creative industries such as film, TV, music and publishing, as well as the economy at large. This five-year project is the product of close cooperation between INTERPOL and the Republic of Korea’s National Police and Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. The successful collaboration comes under the INTERPOL Stop Online Piracy Project (I-SOP). NCB Rabat was pleased to provide support on this International case and bring it to a satisfactory conclusion,” said Mohammed DKHISSI, Head of NCB Rabat, Morocco. “NCB Rabat always endeavours to collaborate with other NCBs and seek the information needed from other NCBs to investigate a crime committed in Morocco and assist another country. We especially thank NCB Rabat and Moroccan law enforcement agencies for their contribution on the case,” said Yong-han YUN, Director of the Copyright Protection Division of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Korea Republic. “It is our pleasure to support the I-SOP project and to work in partnership with INTERPOL and all member countries against online piracy. At the same time, it profited from advertisement and donations. The SkyManga website illegally distributed webtoon materials in Korean, Spanish and Japanese. INTERPOL was then able to coordinate the efforts between Korea and Morocco. The investigation into this website, SkyManga and the subsequent arrest of a Moroccan national followed a request from the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Moroccan authorities facilitated this action, thereby dismantling the criminal enterprise and protecting the rights of copyright holders. LYON, France - Joint collaboration between INTERPOL, Korean and Moroccan law enforcement resulted in the shutdown of an illegal webtoon site and detention of a suspect. Our partnerships with regional policing bodies.

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Korean manhwa website