Benchmark Drilldown · Updated 2026-05-04
AI Basic Act
Passed by the National Assembly in 2024 and effective 2025; Asia's first full-scope AI law
- Year
- 2024
- Region
- South Korea
- Type
- Strategy / policy document
Detail
The AI Basic Act passed the South Korean National Assembly on 26 December 2024 — Asia's first full-scope AI law. The Cabinet finalised the Enforcement Decree in 2025; the law fully takes effect in January 2026. Core mechanisms: (1) "high-impact AI" risk classification and impact assessments; (2) generative AI transparency requirements (label AI-generated content); (3) establishment of an AI Safety Institute; (4) the AI Committee as a cross-ministry coordination body; (5) overseas AI firms must appoint local representatives. Assessment: Korea travels the "simplified EU AI Act" path — more legally binding than Singapore's tool-centric framework but more focused on "high-impact AI" than the EU. The design balances "innovation promotion" and "risk control"; the specific scoping of "high-impact AI" needs 2026-2027 practice to verify.
References
Continue exploring this region
Region overview
South Korea Core Strategy
South Korea's core AI strategy is K-AI Strategy / AI Basic Act, with the public year marked as 2019/2025.
Region overview
South Korea Investment Scale
South Korea's AI investment signal is: ₩100 trillion (~$71.5B) public-private fund.
Region overview
South Korea Governance Model
South Korea's AI governance model can be summarised as: AI Basic Act (passed 2024).
Region overview
South Korea Core Strength
South Korea's comparative strength versus Singapore is: Chaebols + semiconductors, dominant investment scale.
Core strategy
K-AI Strategy
National AI development blueprint
Core strategy
AI Semiconductor Strategy
Strengthen sovereign AI chip capability
Data note
Curated benchmark drilldown profile, last updated 2026-05-04.