Enforcement Decree of AI Basic Act Open for Public Comment Until December 22

The Asia Business Daily reports that South Korea's science and ICT ministry said on November 12 that it had prepared an Enforcement Decree implementing its AI Basic Act, whose full title concerns advancing AI and building trust. The draft is open for a 40-day public notice period that runs until December 22. The ministry intends to collect additional public feedback in that window.

The decree fills in matters the act delegates to secondary rules, and the act itself is due to take effect in January of the following year. According to the report, the draft reflects views from industry, civic groups, experts and other ministries. It covers the criteria for support aimed at fostering the industry, the naming of AI Policy Centers, the steps for designating AI cluster complexes, and arrangements meant to secure AI safety and trust.

Particular attention goes to several points of detail. The draft spells out how deepfake outputs must be notified and labeled, the standards for deciding whether an AI system counts as high-impact, the transparency duties that apply, and the items an AI impact assessment must cover. The ministry explained that these specifications are meant to lower risk for companies and make the system more predictable.

The draft also provides for a grace period of no less than a year, during which guidance is given, before fines can be imposed. A center tentatively called the AI Integrated Support Center is to offer consultation and guidance so firms can meet their duties, and feedback gathered then will inform later notifications and guidelines. Minister Bae Kyunghoon called the decree an institutional cornerstone and promised to reflect voices from the field.