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South Korea's landmark AI law to go into full force as planned

( January 21, 2026, 03:13 GMT | Official Statement) -- MLex Summary: South Korea confirmed Wednesday that the AI Basic Act will enter into full force on Thursday, as planned, along with the enforcement decree and sub-rules to complement the law’s provisions. The law — officially titled the Framework Act on the Development of Artificial Intelligence and the Creation of a Foundation for Trust — was approved in December 2024, following an agreement between the ruling and opposition parties, with the aim of enhancing national AI competitiveness and establishing a foundation for the safe and trustworthy use of AI. As the second AI framework law enacted globally after the EU AI Act, the legislation institutionalizes national AI governance and includes provisions to promote the AI industry, build supporting infrastructure and establish a safety and trust framework to underpin AI-driven innovation. Meanwhile, the government has decided to grant a regulatory grace period of at least one year with respect to fact-finding investigations and administrative fines.Statement is attached (in Korean)....

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