South Korea: an « AI Basic Act » already in force, while the EU is still rolling out its AI Act

Coming into force on January 22, 2026, South Korea’s framework law on AI promises a balance between innovation and trust, with a strong industrial focus backed by transparency requirements for generative AI, a reinforced regime for « high-impact » uses, safeguards for very powerful systems, and assumed extraterritoriality.

South Korea has made a rare choice: to legislate quickly and to set its sights on a comprehensive framework. Its « AI Basic Act, » officially the Basic Act on the Development of Artificial Intelligence and the Establishment of a Foundation for Trustworthiness, came into force on January 22, 2026, with a stated dual objective: to accelerate the national industrial strategy while building a « foundation of trust » for the adoption of AI.
Transparency: « deepfake » as a case study
The first marker is transparency. The text requires users to be informed when a product or service relies on AI…