On the 17th (KST), the Korean government (Blue House) announced an official statement about the petition regarding the Griffin controversy. 

Last November 20th, there was a petition started urging the government to re-investigate Riot Korea’s disciplinary action towards former Griffin head coach Kim “cvMax” Dae-ho (current DragonX) and former Griffin director Cho Gyu-nam. As the petition was signed by more than 200,000 people within 30 days, the Blue House had to give an official statement regarding the petition. The minister of culture, sports, and tourism, Park Yang-woo gave an answer.

The Blue House’s answer regarding the controversy is as follows.

The government will do its best to create an environment that players can concentrate on the games and improve their treatment to protect the players and that unfair contracts do not repeat in the future.

Through this petition, the government prepared ‘a measure to protect esports players’ rights and interests’. The measure consists of three articles.

First, we will make a standard esports player contract. Unless there’s a fundamental solution, there will be victims of unfair contracts.

The government will prepare a ‘standard esports player contract’ within March of this year by gathering opinions of experts, people of the industry, former and active players, etc. We will establish an institution within the first half of this year by consulting related organizations such as the Fair Trade Commission, etc, we will publicize and supply the ‘standard contract’ on the homepage of the Korean ministry of culture, sports, and tourism. We will also encourage esports industries to have the usage of this standard contract settled and inspect the state every year.

As most esports players start their careers from their mid-late teens, they are often exposed to unfair environments where their rights and interests are not protected properly. Regarding the contracts of minor players, we will prepare a separate ‘standard player contract for minors’. I hope to see the standard contracts be introduced and settled so that a fair contract culture is formed between esports players and corporations.

Second, we will do our best to expand and settle ‘esports player registration’.

One of the most important institutions to protect the players’ rights and interests is ‘player registration’. Currently, the player registration is in force in some of the esports events and the systematic management or protection over the majority of the players is insufficient in several areas.

If the esports player registration is expanded, the players’ information and their records can be managed, and systematic protection will be possible regarding the players’ statuses such as their salaries, team moves within or outside of Korea, etc.

The government will create an ‘integrated player registration system’ within the first half of this year in hands with the Korean e-sports Association (KeSPA). We will do our best to carry out the player registration in all official esports and to settle the system as soon as possible.

To do this, we will have KeSPA and esports game companies sign an MOU so that the player registration can be efficiently expanded and settled.

Along with this, the government will revise the 「Esports Promotion Act」 to support ‘player registration’ institutionally.

Third, we will systemize an esports player system.

Along with the player registration, the government will prepare a system to manage and protect esports players systematically. We will make sure that the players and leaders receive proper education periodically and support psychological counseling for the players as well.

Also, we will give our full support to the players to protect their rights and interests such as providing consultations about their contract, team moves, legal knowledge, information regarding tax affairs and accounting, managing their career, etc.

Within January, we will install a ‘dispute mediation committee’ within KeSPA. We will make it that the players can consult the committee regarding unfair contracts or when they were treated wrong. Through the committee, we will issue warnings or corrections regarding the suggested problem.

Along with the aforestated, we will cooperate with the Korea Content Creative Agency to protect esports players’ rights and interests.