Terms of Service | Korea JoongAng Daily

Effective Date: June 8, 2026 

Article 1 (Purpose)

These Terms of Service (hereinafter referred to as the “Terms”) set forth the conditions and procedures for the use of the online news and content services (hereinafter referred to as the “Service”) provided by Korea JoongAng Daily (hereinafter referred to as the “Company”), as well as the rights, obligations and responsibilities between the Company and users. 

Article 2 (Definitions)

For the purposes of these Terms, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below. 

1. “Service” means all digital content and related features provided by the Company through its website and other platforms, including but not limited to news articles, photographs and videos.

2. “User” means any person who accesses, views or uses the Company’s website or related Services, regardless of whether such person has created a membership account. 

3. “Content” means all information made available through the Service, including but not limited to articles, columns, photographs, infographics and videos. 

Article 3 (Effect and Amendment of the Terms)

1. These Terms shall take effect when they are posted on the Service or otherwise notified to Users. 

2. The Company may amend these Terms to the extent that such amendments do not violate applicable laws and regulations, including the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, the Act on the Regulation of Terms and Conditions and the Content Industry Promotion Act. 

3. When amending these Terms, the Company shall specify the effective date and reasons for the amendment and shall post the amended Terms together with the current Terms on the Service at least seven (7) days prior to the effective date until the day immediately preceding the effective date. However, if any amendment is unfavorable to Users, the Company shall provide notice at least thirty (30) days prior to the effective date. 

4. If a User continues to use the Service after the effective date of the amended Terms, the User shall be deemed to have consented to the amended Terms. 

Article 4 (Definitions)

1. Any matters not stipulated in these Terms shall be governed by applicable laws and regulations, the Company’s separate Privacy Policy and individual service guidelines established by the Company. 
2. The Company may establish detailed terms and conditions for individual services, and the content of such services shall be announced through notices on the Service or by other appropriate means. 

Article 5 (Provision and Modification of the Service) 

1.  The Company may provide various Services, including but not limited to viewing, searching and sharing news articles. 

2.  The Company may change, add to or discontinue part or all of the content, format or method of providing the Service. In the event of material changes, the Company shall provide prior notice through the Service or by other appropriate means. 

Article 6 (Conditions of Use) 

1. The Service is in principle available without the need to create a membership account. However, the Company may require the input of certain personal information or additional consent for specific features or separate services. 

2. Subscription to the print edition of Korea JoongAng Daily and other paid services may be provided on a fee basis. In such cases, the applicable fees, payment methods and refund policies shall be separately notified. 

Article 7 (Service Hours) 

1. Unless there are business or technical obstacles, the Service shall in principle be provided twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week. 

2. If the Company unavoidably needs to suspend the Service due to reasons such as regular maintenance, the Company shall provide prior notice of the purpose and period of such suspension. 

Article 8 (Responsibility for Use of the Service) 

In particular, Users shall not engage in any of the following: hacking; unauthorised profit-seeking advertising; use of the Service in connection with pornographic content or websites; or distribution of copyrighted software without authorisation. Any losses, legal measures or other liabilities arising from such activities shall be borne solely by the User. 

Article 9 (External Subscription Services) 

1. The Company may provide links on the Service to external sites operated by the Company, such as the Korea JoongAng Daily print subscription page. 

2. When a User applies for a subscription via such external subscription pages, the terms and conditions and privacy policy posted on the relevant subscription page shall prevail and govern the subscription contract and the processing of personal information.  

Article 10 (Restriction and Suspension of the Service) 

1. The Company may temporarily suspend the provision of all or part of the Service in any of the following cases: 

① Maintenance, inspection, replacement or malfunction of Service facilities 

② Suspension of telecommunications services by a telecommunications service provider 

③ Force majeure events such as natural disasters, power outages or excessive traffic 

2. The Company shall endeavor to provide prior notice of any suspension of the Service pursuant to Paragraph 1. However, if urgent circumstances prevent prior notice, notice may be given afterwards. 

Article 11 (Obligations of the Company) 

1. The Company shall use its best efforts to provide the Service in a continuous and stable manner in accordance with these Terms and shall endeavor to promptly repair and restore any Service-related facilities in the event of a malfunction. However, in the event of unavoidable circumstances, including natural disasters or national emergencies, the Service may be temporarily suspended. 

2. The Company shall not disclose or distribute any User’s personal information obtained in connection with the provision of the Service to any third party without the User’s consent, except in the following cases: 

① Where required by law or by a government agency pursuant to applicable laws, such as the Framework Act on Telecommunications 

② Where necessary for the investigation of a crime or where requested by a competent authority in accordance with applicable procedures and laws 

3. If a User’s opinion or complaint is deemed reasonable, the Company shall handle it without undue delay. If prompt handling is difficult, the Company shall notify the User of the reason for the delay and the expected handling schedule. 

Article 12 (Obligations of Users) 

Users shall comply with applicable laws and regulations, these Terms and any notices or guidelines posted on the Service when using the Service. 

Article 13 (Prohibited Conduct)

Users shall not engage in any of the following acts in connection with the use of the Service: 

① Using Content provided through the Service by copying, distributing, publicly transmitting or creating derivative works without the Company’s prior authorization, or using Content for commercial purposes 

② nfringing upon the intellectual property rights, including copyrights and trademarks, or other rights, including reputation and privacy, of the Company or any third party 

③ Posting, transmitting or distributing content that violates public order or good morals, or that defames, discriminates against or promotes hatred against others, or that is obscene or violent in nature 

④ Interfering with the normal operation of the Service or transmitting malicious code, viruses, spam or similar harmful materials 

⑤ Engaging in any other conduct that is illegal under applicable laws and regulations 

Article 14 (Rights to Content) 

1. All copyrights and other intellectual property rights in and to the Content posted on the Service, including but not limited to articles, photographs and videos, are owned by the Company or the legitimate rights holders. 

2. Users may not modify, edit or use any Content for commercial purposes except to the extent expressly permitted by the Company. 

Article 15 (Processing of Personal Information)

1. The Company collects and uses only the minimum amount of personal information necessary to provide the Service. Detailed information regarding the processing of personal information is set out in the Company’s separate Privacy Policy. 

2. Except as provided in applicable laws and the Privacy Policy, the Company does not provide Users’ personal information to third parties without the Users’ consent. 

Article 16 (Protection of Personal Information)

1. The Company endeavors to protect Users’ personal information in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act, the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection and other applicable laws and regulations. 

2. Specific details regarding the collection, use, provision, retention and destruction of personal information are governed by the Company’s Privacy Policy. 

Article 17 (Use of Cookies and Similar Technologies)

1. The Company may use cookies and similar technologies for purposes such as providing customized Services and analyzing usage statistics. 

2. Users may refuse or delete cookies by changing the settings of their web browser. However, if cookies are refused or deleted, some parts of the Service may not function properly. 

Article 18 (Scope of the Company’s Liability)

1. Unless otherwise provided for under applicable laws, the Service is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis, and the Company does not warrant the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of the Service. 

2. With respect to Services provided free of charge, the Company shall not be liable for any damages arising from the use of such Services, unless caused by the Company’s willful misconduct or gross negligence. 

Article 19 (Handling of Inquiries and Complaints) 

The Company receives Users’ opinions and complaints related to personal information and the Service through telephone, mail, email or its website and endeavors to handle such complaints appropriately. 

Article 20 (Dispute Resolution and Jurisdiction)

1. In the event of a dispute between the Company and a User in connection with personal information, the parties may apply for dispute resolution in accordance with the procedures set out in applicable laws and regulations. 

2. Any lawsuits arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service shall be brought before the court having jurisdiction over the location of the Company’s principal office as the court of first instance. 

Effective Date: June 8, 2026 
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