Official press release

The AI Basic Act Comes into Force to Lay the Foundation for Korea to Become an AI G3

Ministry of Science and ICT (Korea)2026-01-22EnglishOpen original

MSIT English announcement that the AI Basic Act and Enforcement Decree take effect on 22 January 2026, with transparency and safety duties.

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Korea’s AI Basic Act took effect on 22 January 2026

MSIT states the AI Basic Act and Enforcement Decree come into force on 22 January 2026.

The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister: Bae Kyung-hoon) announced that the Basic Act on the Development of Artificial Intelligence and the Establishment of a Trustworthy Foundation (“AI Basic Act”) comes into effect on January 22.

Ministry of Science and ICT (Korea) · MSIT press release · lead

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Korea’s Enforcement Decree requires clear labelling of generative AI outputs

MSIT describes Enforcement Decree Article 23 duties to inform users and clearly label generative AI outputs, including deepfakes.

For outputs generated by generative AI, including AI-manipulated content (deepfakes) that may raise social concerns, the decree requires clear labeling in a manner that can be easily recognized by users, taking into account factors such as age.

Ministry of Science and ICT (Korea) · MSIT press release · Enforcement Decree key feature ⑥ Obligation to Ensure Transparency (Article 23)

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regulation · In force

Korea AI Basic Act and Enforcement Decree

South Korea’s comprehensive AI statute combining industry promotion with transparency, safety and high-impact duties.

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South Korea · Statute in force

Korea’s AI Basic Act takes effect with labelling and safety duties

MSIT announced that the AI Basic Act and Enforcement Decree took effect on 22 January 2026. The package includes generative-AI labelling duties and a grace period of at least one year for most penalties.