The Game Rating and Administration Committee (GRAC) has revealed its ongoing efforts and achievements in eradicating illegal private servers and illicit software.

The GRAC has integrated the blocking of illegal private servers and software-related sites into its key performance indicators, setting the eradication of ecosystem-disrupting activities as a top-tier priority and launching a high-intensity response.

Starting this February, the GRAC joined forces with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to establish a comprehensive counter-strategy. Key initiatives include: ▲Implementing rapid-fire blocking procedures for illegal sites, ▲researching legal amendments to strengthen penalties, ▲escalating requests for criminal investigations, and ▲bolstering the blocking net through cooperation with CDN providers.

During the first half of the year, out of 46,531 total administrative actions, 70.7%—or 32,930 cases—were focused on eradicating illegal private servers and software. The GRAC successfully blocked 1,450 private servers and increased criminal investigation requests to 49, a 40% (14 cases) jump from the same period last year. This demonstrates a shift from simple site blocking to linking investigations and judicial processing for operators of illegal private servers.

The committee is also actively supporting the recovery of damages for the gaming industry. Since last year, the GRAC has been providing court judgment data from investigations to rights holders to support civil litigation, providing 5 such case files in 2025. As a result, some rights holders have recently secured favorable first-instance rulings in damages suits.

The GRAC plans to continue monitoring the effectiveness of its legal support, such as providing judgment data, and will incrementally expand its support system to protect the rights and interests of the gaming industry.

GRAC Chairperson Seo Tae-geon remarked, "Since the start of the year, we have been working closely with our governing ministry to build and aggressively execute this comprehensive response framework." He added, "If the recently proposed amendment to the Game Industry Promotion Act—which seeks to strengthen penalties for illegal private servers—passes in the National Assembly, we expect it to act as a significant deterrent, providing greater momentum for a healthier gaming ecosystem and robust industry protection."