South Korea AI Basic Act
South Korea
In Effect
south-koreaasiacomprehensivefirst-asiahigh-impact
Overview
| Jurisdiction | South Korea |
|---|---|
| Status | In Effect |
| Signed Date | Dec 27, 2025 |
| Effective Date | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Enforcement Body | AI Committee + Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) |
| Affected Entities | AI developers and deployers in South Korea, including foreign companies serving Korean users |
Scope
Comprehensive AI law covering AI development, deployment, and governance. Establishes AI Committee, requires transparency for high-impact AI, and promotes AI industry support. First comprehensive AI law in Asia.
Key Requirements
- Transparency obligations for high-impact AI systems
- Risk assessment for high-impact AI
- Human oversight for critical AI decisions
- AI impact assessment for public-sector AI
- Establishment of national AI committee
- AI industry support and R&D promotion
- Data protection and privacy safeguards
Penalties
Fines up to KRW 50M (approximately $37,000) for violations; up to 3 years imprisonment for serious violations.