South Korea Enacts AI Basic Act

On January 22, 2026, the "AI Basic Act" officially came into effect in the Republic of Korea. This is one of the world's first national regulations that goes beyond declaring principles to introducing strict oversight mechanisms.

The law mandates that developers of "high-risk" systems (medicine, transport, biometrics) undergo mandatory safety certification. Strict watermarking of any generated content is introduced. Experts call this a turning point: the era of Big Tech self-regulation in Asia is officially over. Innovation must now be not only smart but also legally transparent.

Source: MSIT / Korea Herald