Well-Known Author Indicted for Stockpiling 1,600 Copies of Own Book to Boost Bestseller Ranking

An author and a publishing company official who helped him have been indicted for illegally stockpiling copies of his own book to artificially boost its bestseller ranking.

The Goyang branch of the Uijeongbu District Prosecutors' Office announced today (September 9) that it has indicted a male author in his 40s, surnamed Lee, and a publishing company representative in their 50s without detention on charges of violating the Publication and Printing Industry Promotion Act.

The two are accused of stockpiling 1,631 copies of Lee's newly published book between March and July 2024 to increase its sales volume.

Investigations revealed that they committed the crime believing that entering the bestseller rankings through mass purchasing would yield a greater promotional effect than spending money on advertisements.

During the crime period, total sales of the book amounted to 11,135 copies, of which the stockpiled books accounted for 1,631 copies, or 14 percent of the total.

As a result, the book's weekly bestseller ranking in its category reportedly rose from the 3rd and 4th place range to the 2nd and 3rd place range.

The two got to know each other while publishing other books in the past, and it was reported that Lee's publishing company was unrelated to the specific book targeted for the stockpiling.

(Photo provided by the Goyang Branch of the Uijeongbu District Prosecutors' Office, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.