- The AI Basic Act, establishing the foundation for the AI industry, takes effect on January 22.

- A grace period of at least one year will be granted, and the AI Basic Act Support Desk will be operated to provide advisory services to AI business operators.

- Input from industry, academia, and civil society will be collected to refine the Act in light of global AI technological developments and trends.

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.

The AI Basic Act, aimed at enhancing national AI competitiveness and establishing a safe and reliable foundation for AI use, was passed by the National Assembly in December 2024 following agreement between the ruling and opposition parties. As the second AI regime enacted in the world, South Korea’s legislation provides legal grounds for establishing national AI governance and promoting the AI industry. It also supports the development of foundational infrastructure and the creation of a safe and trustworthy framework to underpin AI innovation.

Regarding national AI governance, the Act establishes the legal basis for the Presidential Council on National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, the control tower for national AI policies, and for the Expert Standing Committees, the Secretariat, and Chief AI Officers (CAIOs) within the council, enabling national AI policies to be implemented in a systematic and effective manner.

The Act specifies statutory support measures to promote the development of the domestic AI industry, with detailed provisions set out in its Enforcement Decree. These include support for AI research and development; the establishment of training datasets; the introduction and use of AI technologies; support to enable new business formation; the promotion of AI convergence; the cultivation of AI professionals; and the establishment of AI data centers. The Enforcement Decree further sets out detailed criteria and procedures governing each of these areas.

To establish a safe and trustworthy foundation, the Act prescribes obligations regarding AI ethics, verification and certification, transparency, safety, and high-impact AI. The Enforcement Decree specifies detailed content, target areas, and implementation methods to clarify the provisions stipulated in the Act.

Notably, the Act emphasizes the promotion of the AI industry. According to the “minimum regulation principle,” the Act minimizes obligations and restrictions on AI business operators while broadly incorporating measures to foster the growth of the AI sector.

To prepare for the Act’s implementation, MSIT formed a working group in January 2025, composed of around 80 private-sector experts, and held more than 70 consultation sessions to gather feedback for the drafting of the Enforcement Decree.



※ Please refer to the attached files.