On 21 January 2025 South Korea enacted the Framework Act on the Development of Artificial Intelligence and the Creation of a Foundation for Trust (Act No. 20676). It enters into force one year after enactment, following a “legislation first, details later” approach that builds the frame for Korean AI governance.
The Act’s positioning
The title already shows the dual objective: to promote AI development and to create a “foundation for trust”. This pairing of development and trust is common among major Asian economies; what differs is the intensity of the obligations and the enforcement mechanism.
The Act itself is largely framework in nature, with operational content left to the enforcement decree. That means certainty at enactment is limited, and the observation window for companies is the accompanying rules. See our notes on the Korean enforcement decree pre-announcement.
What the decree details
The later pre-announcement of the enforcement decree shows that labelling of generative AI outputs is one focus. This matches other jurisdictions in the region: labelling of synthetic content is often the earliest obligation to land and the easiest to check.
For companies providing generative AI services in the Korean market, the specifics of the labelling duty — where and how the label appears, and what is exempt — directly affect product design. See our notes on the Japanese AI Promotion Act in force and on Korean punitive damages for AI fake advertising.
The wider rhythm in Asia
Set alongside other legislation in the region, Korea’s move shows a shared rhythm: a promotion-oriented framework act establishes the governance structure, an enforcement decree and guidelines add obligation detail, and enforcement then tightens gradually.
For companies going overseas, this means a two-step compliance preparation when entering Asian markets: first confirm the framework act’s positioning (promotion-led or regulation-led), then track the specific duties in the decree. See our notes on the Vietnam AI law in force.
The timing of Korea’s enactment also offers a reference point: between framework legislation and implementing rules, companies typically have a one-year window to prepare.
This article is based on the Framework Act on the Development of Artificial Intelligence and the Creation of a Foundation for Trust (Act No. 20676) and public information and is for reference only; it does not constitute legal advice.