South Korea ad rules in 2026
The Korea Fair Trade Commission amended its guidelines on recommendations and endorsements twice in two years: rules for text-based media took effect on 1 December 2024, and a further amendment took effect on 1 June 2026. Paid or sponsored content must be disclosed in a way readers notice. On the data side, the Personal Information Protection Commission issued updated privacy policy guidelines in 2024 that set out how companies must describe processing and overseas transfers. Korean media plans also differ from most markets because NAVER Search Ads and Kakao Moment, run by the main local search portal and messaging platform, sit next to Google and Meta.
Executive findings
- 1
The KFTC adopted an amendment to its guidelines on labelling and advertising involving recommendations and endorsements, which took effect on 1 June 2026.
Secondary source. Scope: South Korea; policy tracker citing the KFTC, as of . [1]
- 2
An earlier KFTC amendment adding disclosure requirements for endorsements in text-based media such as blogs entered into force on 1 December 2024.
Secondary source. Scope: South Korea; policy tracker citing the KFTC, as of . [2]
- 3
PIPC guidelines issued on 30 April 2024 require privacy policies to name the country where data is collected abroad and, for overseas transfers, the legal grounds and statutory notice items.
Secondary source. Scope: South Korea; law firm summary of PIPC guidelines, as of . [3]
- 4
NAVER Search Ads and Kakao Moment are the self-serve advertising systems of Korea’s main search portal and messaging platform.
Documented: official source. Scope: South Korea; official platform pages, as of . [4]
Method and limitations
- Question
- What changed in advertising rules and platform options in South Korea during 2025 and 2026, and what should an advertiser do about it?
- Written for
- Marketing leads and founders planning paid media in South Korea.
- Decision at stake
- Which compliance steps to complete before launch, and which channels deserve a test budget this year.
- Sources
- Digital Policy Alert records of the KFTC guideline amendments, a Kim & Chang summary of PIPC guidelines, and the NAVER and Kakao advertising pages.
- Period
- Official and professional sources as published on 18 October 2026.
- Markets
- South Korea, national rules and the platform policies that apply there
- Definitions
- Endorsement: a recommendation, review or testimonial for which the author received a benefit from the advertiser.
- Limitations
- This briefing is not legal or tax advice. Confirm obligations with qualified local counsel before acting.
- Rules and platform terms change; each source shows the date we read it.
Endorsement disclosure
Secondary source
The KFTC guidelines apply to any recommendation or review where the writer received money, products or other benefits from the advertiser. The 2024 change addressed blogs and other text formats, where disclosures were often hidden at the end of long posts. The 2026 amendment followed a public consultation that ran from April 2026. Advertisers should read the current text before renewing creator agreements.
Privacy notices and overseas transfers
Secondary source
Sending conversion data or customer lists to a global ad platform is an overseas transfer in most set-ups. The PIPC’s guidelines expect the privacy policy to say so, with the legal basis and the required notice items. The PIPC can evaluate policies and recommend changes, and it may publish the result.
Opportunities this year
Documented: official source
NAVER Search Ads covers Power Link text ads and shopping search on NAVER, and Kakao Moment reaches users across KakaoTalk and Kakao services. A Korean plan that uses only Google and Meta leaves much of local search and messaging untouched. FOCUSADS includes NAVER and Kakao in Korean plans where the goal fits, and records which disclosures each creator post carries.
How this connects to our method: How market rules enter the plan
References
- Fair Trade Commission adopted amendment to guidelines on reviewing labelling and advertising regarding recommendations and endorsements, Digital Policy Alert, accessed
- Implemented FTC amendment to advertising guidelines for recommendations and endorsements on blogs and text-based media, Digital Policy Alert, accessed
- Personal Information Protection Commission announces amended privacy policy drafting guidelines, Kim & Chang, accessed
- 네이버 검색광고 (NAVER Search Ads), NAVER, accessed
- 카카오모먼트 (Kakao Moment) business guide, Kakao Business, accessed