Vietnam Insider

July 26, information from the People’s Committee of Ha Long City, Quang Ninh, revealed that in recent days, there have been numerous pieces of information on social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok about tourists renting boats, ships, and canoes to organize self-guided tours to the islands in Ha Long Bay.

These islands, collectively known as deserted islands, are not permitted by the state management authorities for tourist activities and are part of Ha Long Bay. These pieces of information have drawn considerable attention and sharing on social media.

Upon receiving this information, the People’s Committee of Ha Long City promptly issued a document to address and handle self-guided tours in Ha Long Bay. In the document, they requested the Ha Long Bay Management Board to direct departments, committees, units, and local authorities to strengthen the inspection and management of boats, ships, and canoes conducting self-guided tours carrying tourists to visit areas of the islands where state management authorities have not permitted tourism activities.

As a result of the verification and inspections, the authorities have dealt with one violation, imposing an administrative fine of 7.5 million Vietnamese Dong.

Many social media posts about inviting tourists to join tours on Ha Long Bay

Regarding this matter, the People’s Committee of Ha Long City wishes to advise residents and tourists to be cautious about information related to self-guided tours to deserted islands in Ha Long Bay, which have not been approved for tourism activities by state management authorities, especially on social media platforms.

The Department of Information and Communication of Quang Ninh province is coordinating with the People’s Committee of Ha Long City to publish information related to violations concerning self-guided tours to the islands where state management authorities have not allowed tourism activities.

In the content of the document, Ha Long City also requests the Department of Tourism of Quang Ninh to instruct travel companies not to publish information related to self-guided tours to the islands in Ha Long Bay, where state management authorities have not approved tourism activities.

Accordingly, the People’s Committees of local wards and communes with waterway routes are urged to tightly manage unauthorized docks, prevent and strictly handle waterway vehicles carrying people for unauthorized recreational and sightseeing activities in Ha Long Bay. The Ha Long City Police will strengthen cooperation with the Waterway Police Department of Quang Ninh province, the Ha Long Bay Management Board, the Hon Gai Border Guard Station, relevant units, and the People’s Committees of local wards and communes with waterway routes to prevent and strictly handle cases of unauthorized sightseeing activities in Ha Long Bay.

@Vietnamnet

The Chairman of the Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA) stated the following in the letter addressed to Mr. Dang Dinh Tam – Chairman of IME Music Company Limited, and Mr. Lim Kean Hwa – Director of IME Music Company Limited:

“Through this letter, KOMCA confirms certain aspects that the Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA) has authorized VCPMC in accordance with the mutual agreement between KOMCA/VCPMC. This agreement was initially signed between KOMCA and VCPMC on May 1st, 2009.

Under this agreement, among other provisions, KOMCA grants VCPMC exclusive rights to license public performances of all musical works in KOMCA’s repertoire to be performed within VCPMC’s territory, including but not limited to works composed by KOMCA’s member authors.

VCPMC is the sole entity in Vietnam authorized at this time. We are aware that many musical works owned by KOMCA’s members will be performed in Hanoi, Vietnam on July 29-30, 2023.

According to our agreement concerning the rights delegation to our members, KOMCA manages the delegated copyrights so that KOMCA can collect copyright fees on behalf of our members. Also, under this copyright delegation agreement, our members are not allowed to grant third parties the use or enforcement of the copyrights that have been delegated to KOMCA.

KOMCA desires that VCPMC takes decisive steps against users who undermine the interests of the authors represented by KOMCA by not fully complying with VCPMC’s licensing terms. We trust that VCPMC will take necessary measures (including legal actions in court) to ensure licensing from businesses or individuals using KOMCA’s musical works. In case the music copyright license is not granted before the performance, KOMCA respectfully requests that IME Music Company ceases the performance of musical works from KOMCA’s repertoire.”

Previously, upon receiving information about the BlackPink group’s tour in Hanoi, Vietnam, at the end of July, VCPMC had contacted IME Music Company to request permission and payment of copyrights before the event in accordance with copyright laws. However, as of July 19, 2023, IME had not yet fulfilled their copyright obligations. On July 21, 2023, a meeting involving the Vietnamese state management authorities was held to address the existing issues.

To safeguard the rights and interests of authors – owners of the works, and in adherence to the mutual cooperation commitments between VCPMC and KOMCA, as well as the final letter sent by KOMCA to IME, VCPMC requests that the state management agencies revoke the performance license of the BlackPink group organized by IME Music Company as they have severely violated copyright. This action is contrary to the commitments made with VCPMC and the directives issued by the Vietnamese state management authorities before the event.

On July 27th, VCPMC confirmed that they had received an email from someone named Pham Tam – Project Manager of IME Music Company Limited, stating the following content: “Firstly, IME Vietnam would like to express gratitude to VCPMC for actively reaching out and assisting IME Vietnam in complying with music copyright regulations.

As of now, we have not reached an agreement with the artist management company regarding the copyright of the songs in the program as they fall under the copyright of YG Company, the entity providing the performing artists. IME Vietnam agrees to pay for the song copyrights and comply with Vietnamese law. If during the process, IME Vietnam can provide an authorization/permission to use song copyrights in Hanoi, we request VCPMC’s guidance to mutually execute this.”

VCPMC asserts that up to the current time, IME has not fulfilled their copyright obligations as agreed upon during the bilateral work process. All 13 works, approved by document number 2438/SVHTT-QLNT of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, which fall under VCPMC’s protection scope, were licensed through a bilateral contract with various organizations. Among them, 12 works belong to the members of the Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA).

“In the event that the music copyright license is not granted prior to the program’s performance, VCPMC requests that IME refrain from performing musical works from KOMCA’s repertoire,” VCPMC reiterated its demand.

@Vietnamnet