Random Chatting App Designated as Harmful Media for Adolescents... Adult Verification Procedure Required

Violation of Youth Harmful Media Labeling: Up to 2 Years Imprisonment
Fine up to 30 Million Won for Providing Services to Youth

Excluding Conversation Services Among Acquaintances and Open Chat Rooms
Full Enforcement from December 11

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[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] 'Random chat apps,' identified as a major channel for sexual exploitation crimes targeting children and adolescents, will be designated as harmful media for youth. Their provision to minors will be prohibited, and only adults will be allowed to use them.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced on the 10th that it has officially designated apps providing online chat services between unspecified users, which may encourage or mediate inappropriate relationships for youth, as harmful media for youth.

This announcement follows a process that included a public administrative notice in May to gather opinions from stakeholders, review by the Office for Government Policy Coordination, deliberation by the Regulatory Reform Committee, and final review and decision by the Youth Protection Committee on the 28th of last month.

According to this designation, random chat apps without technical measures such as ▲real-name verification or mobile phone authentication for member management ▲chat storage ▲reporting functions will be classified as harmful media for youth under the Youth Protection Act, and their provision to minors will be prohibited. However, random chat apps that implement all three technical measures, or chat services between acquaintances (known users) rather than unspecified users, as well as chat and bulletin boards or comments linked to games that are accessible to anyone, will be excluded from harmful media classification.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family will conduct inspections of random chat apps during the grace period, guide operators on required measures, and issue correction orders if violations occur after the system is implemented. Continued violations will lead to referral to judicial authorities for investigation and criminal prosecution. Random chat apps without technical measures will be classified as harmful media for youth and must include youth harmful markings along with a separate adult authentication procedure. Violations of the youth harmful marking obligation may result in imprisonment of up to 2 years or fines up to 20 million KRW, and providing services to minors may lead to imprisonment of up to 3 years or fines up to 30 million KRW.

This designation will take full effect on December 11 after a three-month grace period. Yoon Hyosik, Director of the Youth and Family Policy Office at the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, stated, "We will continue monitoring not only random chat apps but also media environments harmful to youth to ensure that illegal acts such as sexual exploitation of children and adolescents are eradicated."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.