SEOUL -(Dow Jones)- Sumner Redstone, executive chairman of Viacom Inc. (VIA, VIAB) and CBS Corp. (CBS), Tuesday called on Internet operators to step up protection of content providers' copyrights and reiterated that he won't tolerate piracy by video sharing Web sites such as YouTube.

"From Times Square to Kwang Hwa Moon Square (in South Korea), the threats to copyright are grave, and they are growing," Redstone said in a speech at a technology forum in Seoul.

"From sites that enable illegal downloading of full length songs and movies...to DVD piracy...to the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted content on services such as YouTube, it's harder and harder to make money in the media business both for companies and creative artists."

Redstone, who is also controlling shareholder of both Viacom and CBS, said regulators should foster an environment that respects copyright and penalizes the theft of artistic work.

"When we filed our lawsuit, we not only served our own interests, we served the interests of everyone who owns copyrights that they want protected," said Redstone, referring to Viacom's $1 billion copyright-infringement lawsuit against Google Inc. (GOOG) and Google's YouTube unit.

"We cannot tolerate any form of piracy by anyone, including YouTube...they ( YouTube) cannot get away with stealing our products."

Viacom sued Google and YouTube in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan for copyright infringement, alleging YouTube and Google passed on thousands of videos illegally copied from popular TV shows owned by Viacom.

He said Viacom is seeking business tie-ups with South Korean companies, and that the company plans to boost investment in the South Korean animation industry.

"Korea is the third largest cable and satellite ad market in Asia. Currently MTV and Nickelodeon are here in Korea, but on a far more limited basis than we would like," he said. "We are forging partnerships with local media leaders such as Nexon and Daum in the gaming and digital areas."

In its latest such effort, MTV Networks, owned by Viacom, last week agreed to supply digital content to NHN Corp. (035420.KQ), South Korea's largest Internet company by revenue.

Redstone said Viacom has invested more than $100 million in South Korean animation for its global productions and "looks forward to growing this business in years to come."

-By In-Soo Nam, Dow Jones Newswires; 822-721-0583; In-Soo.Nam@dowjones.com

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires
  05-06-08 0246ET
  Copyright (c) 2008 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.