Premium (Paid Service) Terms

Effective: January 1, 2026 · Last revised: June 13, 2026

Related documents: Terms of Service · Privacy Policy · Community Guidelines

Article 1 (Purpose, Scope, and Non-Profit Operation)

1. These Terms govern the rights, obligations, and responsibilities between METIS (the "Organization") and paid members in relation to the use of the Metis Premium subscription and other paid services (the "Paid Services"). The Organization operates a non-profit academic platform on which anyone can search, share, and publish papers. 2. Fees for the Paid Services and advertising revenue are used as funds for operating, maintaining, and improving the platform and for carrying out the Organization's non-profit purposes. Because the Paid Services are services provided for consideration in exchange for additional benefits to members, payments for them do not constitute donations and no donation receipt is issued. 3. These Terms are special terms supplementary to the Organization's general Terms of Service (the "General Terms"); with respect to the Paid Services, these Terms take precedence over the General Terms. Matters not provided for in these Terms are governed by the General Terms and applicable law.

Article 2 (Definitions)

1. "Paid Member" means a member who has agreed to these Terms and entered into a Paid Services agreement. 2. "Subscription" means the arrangement of paying a fee for set periods in order to use Premium benefits. 3. "Payment Gateway (PG)" means the electronic payment provider that processes payments and settlements on the Organization's behalf. 4. "Payment Method" means a means of payment offered by the Organization, such as credit cards, debit cards, simple/easy payment, and app-store in-app purchases. 5. "Usage History" means the fact that a member has actually used Premium benefits at least once, including running Premium-only features, viewing or downloading content, using the service with advertising removed, and invoking Premium-only limits or features. 6. Terms not defined herein follow the meanings set out in the General Terms and applicable law.

Article 3 (Formation of the Agreement)

1. A Paid Services agreement is formed when the member agrees to these Terms and the payment information and requests payment, and the payment gateway and the Organization approve the payment. 2. Where payment is made through an app store (App Store, Google Play, etc.), that app store's terms and payment/refund policies may also apply. 3. The Organization may refuse or cancel payment approval where there are reasonable grounds, such as misuse of a payment method, suspected fraudulent payment, or fraudulent use through multiple or circumventing accounts.

Article 4 (Fees, Payment, and Taxes)

1. The fees, billing cycle, currency, and benefits of the Paid Services are clearly displayed on the in-service payment screen, and the member confirms and agrees to them before payment. 2. Whether the displayed price includes taxes such as VAT is shown on the payment screen, and taxes imposed under applicable law are borne by the member. 3. Members must use a lawful payment method in their own name and must not use another person's payment method without authorization. 4. For members residing abroad, currency conversion and foreign transaction fees may apply, subject to the policies of the issuer of the payment method used. 5. Upon completion of payment, the Organization provides the payment record (receipt) by electronic means.

Article 5 (Automatic Renewal, Pre-Billing Notice, and Cancellation)

1. Unless cancelled by the member, a subscription renews automatically on the same terms at the end of each billing cycle, and the next cycle's fee is charged to the registered payment method at the time of renewal. 2. Before a recurring payment is made, the Organization notifies the member by electronic means such as email, within a reasonable period (in principle 7 days before the scheduled payment date), of the scheduled payment date, the amount, and how to cancel. 3. A member may cancel automatic renewal via in-service settings or the app-store subscription management screen at least 24 hours before the scheduled renewal date; upon cancellation, no fee is charged from the next cycle. 4. The Organization provides a means of cancellation that is as simple as the sign-up process and does not impose procedures that make cancellation unreasonably difficult. 5. Even after cancelling automatic renewal, Premium benefits continue for the remaining portion of the current, already-paid cycle. 6. Where renewal will occur with changed fees or benefits, the Organization gives prior notice under Article 10 and provides an opportunity to consent or cancel.

Article 6 (Free Trials and Promotions)

1. The Organization may offer free trials or discount promotions, the conditions, period, and eligibility of which follow each offer's notice. 2. A free trial is limited to once per person (or per account); if not cancelled before the trial ends, it automatically converts to a paid subscription and a fee is charged. The Organization gives prior notice of the conversion and the upcoming charge in accordance with Article 5(2). 3. Using free trials or promotions repeatedly or redundantly by improper means—such as creating multiple accounts, misappropriating another person's identity, or repeatedly changing payment methods—is prohibited; where the Organization detects this, it may invalidate the benefit, charge the standard fee, and restrict use. 4. Promotional pricing applies only for the stated period; after it ends, the subscription renews at the standard price.

Article 7 (Withdrawal of Subscription and Refunds)

1. In accordance with the Act on Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce, a member may withdraw their subscription within 7 days from the payment date or the date the Paid Services become available. However, where the laws of the member's country of residence guarantee a longer withdrawal period (e.g., 14 days in the European Union), that period applies. 2. Due to the nature of digital content and digital benefits, withdrawal may be restricted, as provided by applicable law, for portions for which the member has expressly consented to the loss of the right of withdrawal and provision has begun immediately. The Organization clearly informs the member, before payment, of the fact that withdrawal is restricted and of the effect of such consent, and obtains the member's consent. 3. Where withdrawal is not restricted, a full refund is provided if it is within the withdrawal period after payment and there is no Usage History as defined in Article 2. 4. Other refunds are calculated on a pro-rata basis for the remaining period as a rule, and the value of benefits already provided as well as payment/refund fees borne by the Organization may be deducted. 5. Refunds for app-store in-app purchases follow that app store's refund policy and procedures. 6. Refunds are, as a rule, processed to the original payment method and may take time depending on the processing periods of the payment gateway and card issuer. 7. This Article does not restrict any right of withdrawal or refund under the mandatory provisions of the member's country of residence.

Article 8 (Prevention of Refund Abuse, Fraudulent Payment, and Chargebacks)

1. Full refunds are intended to allow a genuine review of the service; where the same member uses the refund system repeatedly or in bad faith (such as repeatedly paying and immediately requesting refunds, or obtaining free use by re-subscribing after a refund), the Organization may refuse further refunds or free trials amounting to an abuse of rights. 2. Where a member, without justifiable grounds, requests a chargeback or payment cancellation from the payment gateway or card issuer and the Organization thereby suffers loss, the Organization may restrict that member's Premium benefits and account use and claim payment of the wrongfully reclaimed amount and resulting costs. 3. Where a member has an objection regarding payment or a refund, the member must first use the objection procedure under Article 16 before requesting a chargeback. 4. Where fraudulent payment, misappropriation, or automated fraudulent use is suspected, the Organization may withhold or cancel the payment or take necessary measures in accordance with applicable law.

Article 9 (Personal Use of Account/Benefits and Prohibition of Sharing or Transfer)

1. Premium benefits are for the personal use of the paid member; a member must not share their account or Premium benefits with a third party or transfer, lend, or resell them to others. 2. A member must not allow multiple users to use Premium benefits with a single payment, or circumvent the reasonable usage limits set by the Organization. 3. Where a violation of the preceding paragraph is confirmed, the Organization may, after prior notice (or subsequent notice in urgent cases), reclaim Premium benefits or restrict the account, and in the case of a serious violation may terminate the agreement without a refund.

Article 10 (Changes to Fees)

1. The Organization may change the fees for the Paid Services as required for operational or policy reasons. 2. In the event of a fee increase, the Organization notifies members individually by in-service notice and electronic means such as email at least 30 days before the effective date. 3. The changed fee applies from the renewal cycle arriving after the notified effective date; a member who does not agree to the change may cancel automatic renewal before the effective date. The previous fee applies to already-paid cycles.

Article 11 (Provision and Change of Benefits)

1. The specific contents of Premium benefits follow the in-service notice, and the Organization may add to or improve benefits to enhance the service. 2. The Organization may change or reduce Premium benefits for unavoidable reasons. In the event of a significant reduction disadvantageous to members, it gives notice 30 days before the effective date and provides existing subscribers a choice between a refund for the remaining period or an equivalent alternative benefit. 3. Some benefits may change due to circumstances of features or content provided by third parties, in which case the Organization endeavors to arrange reasonable alternatives.

Article 12 (Advertising and Third-Party Services)

1. The Organization may display advertising on the free service to raise funds for its non-profit operation. Whether advertising is removed or reduced under Premium follows the benefit notice for each plan. 2. Advertising may include content provided by third parties (such as advertising networks), and the Organization is not responsible for the content of advertising or for transactions between advertisers and members, absent willful misconduct or gross negligence. 3. Some features of the Paid Services may integrate with third-party services, to which that third party's terms and policies apply.

Article 13 (Payments by Minors)

1. Where a member who is a minor under 19 years of age pays for the Paid Services without the consent of a legal representative, the minor or the legal representative may cancel that payment in accordance with applicable law. 2. However, cancellation may be restricted where the minor obtained the legal representative's consent, or where the minor used deception such as misusing an adult's payment method. 3. The Organization handles disputes relating to payments by minors in accordance with applicable law and the Content User Protection Guidelines, among others.

Article 14 (Effect of Use Restrictions and Suspension)

1. Where a member's account is suspended for violating the General Terms or the Community Guidelines, the use of Premium benefits is also restricted during the suspension period. 2. Periods of use suspension attributable to the member (such as a breach of terms or a violation of Articles 8 or 9 of these Terms) are not subject to refund. 3. For periods during which a member was unable to use the Paid Services due to reasons attributable to the Organization, the Organization extends the usage period by an equivalent period or provides a pro-rata refund.

Article 15 (Service Interruption and Compensation)

1. The Organization may temporarily suspend all or part of the Paid Services due to regular maintenance, equipment failure, force majeure, etc., and gives prior notice where possible. 2. Where the service is interrupted continuously for a substantial time due to reasons attributable to the Organization, the Organization provides reasonable compensation such as extension of the usage period in accordance with in-service notices or applicable law. 3. The Organization bears no compensation responsibility for interruptions due to force majeure or reasons attributable to the member.

Article 16 (Billing Disputes and Objections)

1. Where a member discovers an improper or erroneous charge, the member may file an objection through the customer inquiry channel within a reasonable period from the billing date. 2. The Organization verifies the facts within a reasonable period from the date the objection is received and replies with the result; where an error is confirmed, it immediately takes necessary measures such as correction and refund. 3. Members may separately use dispute-resolution procedures available through the payment gateway, card issuer, or app store.

Article 17 (Limitation of Liability)

1. Limitations of the Organization's liability not provided for in these Terms apply mutatis mutandis to Article 14 (Limitation of Liability) of the General Terms. 2. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits mandatory consumer-protection provisions such as the Act on Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce, or the Organization's liability for willful misconduct or gross negligence.

Article 18 (Governing Law and Dispute Resolution)

1. These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of Korea. However, for members residing abroad, consumer protection under the mandatory provisions of the member's country of residence is not affected. 2. Lawsuits regarding disputes between the Organization and a member are brought before the competent court under the Civil Procedure Act. 3. Where a dispute is not amicably resolved, a member may apply for mediation to relevant bodies such as the Content Dispute Resolution Committee or the Korea Consumer Agency.

Article 19 (Language and Order of Precedence)

These Terms are provided in multiple languages; where a translation conflicts with the Korean version, the Korean version prevails. This does not apply, however, where the mandatory provisions of the member's country of residence require the local-language or English version to prevail.

Addendum

Article 1 (Effective Date) These Terms take effect on January 1, 2026. Article 2 (Transitional Measures) These Terms also apply to Paid Services agreements concluded before these Terms take effect. However, they do not affect rights and obligations already arising under the previous terms.