By Lee Kyung-min

A district court ordered an English language institute Monday to compensate the Economist magazine for illegally using content in lectures for a number of years.

Seoul Central District Court ruled that the DYB Choi Sun Language Institute in southern Seoul should pay the magazine 100 million won ($98,000) for infringement of copyright.

The institute allegedly used the magazine's published articles as teaching material and sold them to students from 2009 to 2012. As of 2009, the institute had some 15,000 registered students.

The head of the institute, surnamed Song, was indicted in 2012 on charges of copyright infringement, and in July 2013, he was fined five million won ($4,500).

After the ruling, the magazine filed for a compensation suit.

"The institute infringed on the copyright of the Economist by illegally using its content for the purpose of making a profit. It should be duly compensated for the financial damage occurred," the court stated.

"Publishing, distribution, or sales of such copied material is illegal."