Check What Developers of Generative AI Services Must Disclose Under Korea's AI Basic Act

What transparency duties does the AI Basic Act place on developers?

The Policy Briefing article (January 21, 2026) on the Ministry of Science and ICT announcement confirms four duties.

When you design this, start by deciding where on the screen the AI-use notice goes and how the label will be attached to generated outputs. The detailed labeling standards are set in the enforcement decree and guidelines, so check the original text.

How do you tell whether your service is high-impact AI?

The article explains that it depends on whether the AI is used in a field the law specifies and on how large the risk is. It also says that if a person makes the final decision and can control the system, the AI is excluded from high-impact AI.

If you build features that automate judgments, such as hiring or loan screening, make clear in the design whether a person actually takes part in the final decision. Whether a service qualifies can differ from case to case, so you cannot settle it from the article alone.

What changes during the grace period?

The government has said it will suspend regulation for at least a year, running fines and fact-finding investigations with a focus on guidance in the meantime. Fact-finding is reserved for extremely exceptional cases, such as harm to human life or violations of human rights. The article gives neither the maximum fine nor the date the grace period ends.

So rather than putting it off because of the grace period, it is safer to build the labeling and notice features in early.

Where can you ask questions?

The Ministry of Science and ICT runs an AI Basic Act support desk staffed by experts who took part in drafting the subordinate regulations, and says it keeps consultations confidential and offers anonymous consultation. The March 31, 2026 press release says 552 consultations had been received in the first 10 weeks after enforcement and that a casebook had been published.

That press release page does not show a dedicated contact for the support desk. Check the ministry's notices or guidance pages separately for how to submit a request.

In what order can a development team prepare?

1. List whether your service has generative AI features and whether the outputs are shown directly to users.
2. Decide where on screens and in API responses you will tell users that AI is used.
3. Review technically whether you can attach labels or watermarks to generated outputs.
4. If you touch a field the law covers, such as hiring, lending, or healthcare, document the procedure in which a person makes the final decision.

Laws and guidelines can be revised. This article is based on two items checked on 2026-10-08, a Policy Briefing article and a Ministry of Science and ICT press release, so check the enforcement decree and the latest guidelines before you apply any of it.