# South Korea — AI Law & Policy Updates > Source: > Published: 2026-07-16 00:00:00+00:00 Basic Act on the Development of AI and Establishment of Trust (AI Basic Act, effective Jan 22, 2026) · AI Basic Act Enforcement Decree (MSIT) · Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) — **Status: In Effect (Jan 22, 2026)** South Korea's AI Basic Act — the first comprehensive national AI framework in Asia — took effect on January 22, 2026, with a one-year grace period before fines are enforced. Operators must determine whether their system is 'high-impact AI' (used in healthcare, hiring, biometrics, or public services) and, if so, provide explanations of outputs, ensure human oversight, and run risk and fundamental-rights impact assessments. All providers must label AI-generated content and disclose AI interaction; large foreign providers must appoint a Korea-based domestic representative. Administrative fines reach KRW 30 million. **Recent developments:**