5 Guidelines for Korea's AI Basic Act — What's Out and What to Watch
5 Guidelines for Korea's AI Basic Act — What's Out and What to Watch
With the AI Basic Act coming into force in January 2026, the AI Basic Act Help Desk — operated by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the Korea Software Industry Association (KOSA) — released five official guidelines.
Here's the full list:
- Transparency Guidelines (2026.01.26)
- AI Safety Guidelines (2026.01.22)
- High-Impact AI Classification Guidelines (2026.01.29)
- Obligations for High-Impact AI Operators (2026.01.22)
- AI Impact Assessment Guidelines (2026.01.22)
Summary of Each Guideline
The Transparency Guidelines lay out specific standards for informing users that AI is being used and how it operates. This includes requirements for labeling AI-generated content and explaining decision-making processes.
The AI Safety Guidelines cover the technical and administrative safeguards required throughout the entire lifecycle of an AI system — from development to operation. Key topics include malfunction prevention, security vulnerability management, and post-deployment monitoring.
The High-Impact AI Classification Guidelines define the criteria for determining whether an AI system qualifies as "high-impact." Systems that could significantly affect life, physical safety, fundamental rights, or public safety fall under this category. The guidelines detail the assessment process and key factors to consider.
The Obligations for High-Impact AI Operators outline the duties that businesses operating high-impact AI must fulfill — including establishing risk management frameworks, ensuring human oversight, and maintaining records.
The AI Impact Assessment Guidelines provide a methodology for evaluating the societal impact of AI systems before and during deployment. While primarily aimed at public institutions, the framework is designed to be useful for the private sector as well.
Where This Meets Privacy Practice
These guidelines intersect closely with the field of personal information protection.
The transparency requirements share a similar logic with privacy policies — operators must notify users about AI usage.
The impact assessment mirrors Korea's Personal Information Impact Assessment (PIA) in structure, requiring a pre-deployment risk review.
And AI systems that process personal data at scale or engage in profiling are highly likely to be classified as high-impact AI.
ISMS-P certification audits are also expected to increasingly examine AI usage and related safeguards. That's the vibe on the consulting floor, and auditors have reportedly begun asking AI-related questions during assessments.
Source: AI Basic Act Help Desk