South Korea bans misleading AI virtual personas in cosmetic advertising

South Korea has amended its Cosmetics Act under Act No. 21709 to prohibit the use of artificial intelligence in cosmetic advertisements when it may mislead consumers. Under the new regulations, which take effect on May 26, 2026, brands are explicitly forbidden from using AI-generated virtual personas to falsely imply that medical experts, such as doctors or pharmacists, endorse a cosmetic product. Alongside this amendment, the Korea Fair Trade Commission updated its Review Guidelines for Labeling and Advertising concerning Recommendations and Endorsements. These updated guidelines establish strict, specific labeling requirements for any promotional materials featuring AI virtual personas, which will apply at the SKU level starting June 1, 2026. For clinicians who import, retail, or partner with South Korean skincare brands, this regulatory shift requires an immediate audit of marketing assets. You must ensure that any promotional materials originating from South Korean partners do not use simulated medical authorities, and that any virtual influencer content complies with the new SKU-level labeling mandates before the summer deadlines.

Source: Worldover, https://worldover.io/blog/south-korea-prohibits-misleading-ai-advertising/