An online advertisement for height-increasing pills. A blatantly fake ad even claims that a 92-year-old grandmother grew taller. (Image source: captured from an online community.)
SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Deceptive and exaggerated online advertising is proliferating in South Korea, fueled by weak pre-screening rules, limited enforcement capacity and the rapid spread of artificial intelligence tools that make fake claims harder to detect, according to government officials and regulators.
Across platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, consumers are increasingly reporting losses from advertisements promising implausible results — from patches that supposedly remove facial blemishes to bands that claim to melt arm fat without exercise.
Others describe purchasing discounted goods that never arrive. In health-related sectors alone, authorities say the scale of misleading advertising is vast.
Data from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety show that nearly 97,000 cases of illegal or misleading online advertisements for food, drugs, cosmetics and medical devices were flagged in 2024.
In the first nine months of 2025 alone, almost 69,000 cases were detected. Officials say the true number is likely far higher, given manpower constraints and the speed at which such ads reappear under new names or web addresses.
The problem has grown more complex with the use of AI-generated fake doctors and pharmacists, who appear in videos endorsing health supplements, cosmetics and medical devices.
Because current regulations prohibit real physicians from advertising product efficacy but do not explicitly cover AI-generated personas, regulators describe the phenomenon as a growing “regulatory blind spot.”
Korea Faces Growing ‘Regulatory Blind Spot’ in AI-Driven Online Ads (Image supported by ChatGPT)
Unlike broadcast television, online platforms are not subject to mandatory pre-approval of advertisements. As a result, authorities rely largely on post hoc enforcement. The food and drug regulator has signed cooperation agreements with dozens of platform companies and industry groups, while platforms maintain their own advertising policies.
Google said it blocked or removed more than 5.1 billion policy-violating ads globally in 2024 and suspended nearly 40 million advertiser accounts.
The Korea Communications Standards Commission has also stepped up reviews, ordering the removal or blocking of tens of thousands of illegal health-related ads.
But officials acknowledge that staffing shortages and lengthy review procedures mean enforcement often lags behind the spread of new content. In some cases, ads reappear within a day of being taken down.
To address the gap, the government plans legislative changes in the second half of 2026 that would allow regulators to directly demand swift corrective action from platforms in urgent cases.
Authorities are also preparing to introduce expedited written reviews for illegal food and drug advertising and to require clear labeling of AI-generated promotional content.
Even with tougher rules, officials concede that enforcement alone has limits. Advertisers routinely adapt, targeting users during off-hours or using personalized ad algorithms to evade detection.
Regulators are urging consumers to exercise caution, particularly with claims that cosmetics or non-prescription products offer medical effects, or with overseas direct purchases of unverified health devices.
As AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated, officials warn that consumer vigilance will remain a critical line of defense alongside regulatory reform.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
