Overview
- At a policy meeting led by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, the government announced compulsory labels for AI-made photos and videos in advertising, with users barred from removing labels and platforms responsible for compliance.
- Ministries plan to start revising laws in early 2026 so labeling, stricter monitoring and penalties can take effect in the same period, with additional steps planned for the second half of 2026.
- Enforcement will include 24‑hour review targets for flagged ads, temporary corrective orders from the KMCC in urgent cases, expanded written reviews for high-risk categories, and a broadened fast‑track review at the Food and Drug Safety Ministry.
- Penalties will rise through significantly higher fines and punitive damages of up to five times assessed harm, with regulators clarifying that undisclosed AI ‘experts’ or virtual doctors constitute deceptive advertising.
- Officials cite rapid growth in illegal online ads—about 97,600 in 2024 and 68,950 through September 2025—and widespread use of fabricated experts and deepfaked celebrities on platforms such as YouTube and Facebook, with older consumers identified as especially vulnerable.