Seoul to Open Algorithm-Transparency Center as Government Targets Digital Misinformation (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s newly created media regulator said Friday it will open a transparency center next year to confront the spread of online disinformation, signaling an aggressive shift in how the government intends to police digital content.
The announcement came as the Korea Media Communications Commission (KMCC) delivered its first policy briefing to President Lee Jae Myung in the administrative city of Sejong, outlining a slate of measures aimed at curbing what officials described as a rising tide of fabricated news and algorithm-driven misinformation.
In its report, the commission said South Korea must “minimize the harm caused by fabricated and false information online,” calling for legislative updates and closer collaboration with private platforms. The planned Transparency Center would support fact-checking organizations, while coordinating research and training programs to improve media literacy.
The regulator also signaled it would push technology companies to make their recommendation algorithms more accountable. “We will work to enhance the transparency of algorithm-based recommendation services, including those shaped by confirmation bias, and to guarantee users’ right to choose,” the commission said. Under the proposal, digital platforms would be required to disclose more clearly how content is ranked, filtered, or personalized.
The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Media Communications Commission deliver a policy briefing to President Lee Jae Myung in the central city of Sejong on Dec. 12, 2025. (Yonhap)
The KMCC also plans to open the market for bulk text-messaging services next year, allowing companies with the ability to block spam to provide mass-messaging functions — a shift meant to reduce unwanted messages while loosening long-standing restrictions on the industry.
The commission’s agenda marks one of the most ambitious attempts yet by the South Korean government to confront misinformation online, a politically charged issue that has fueled debate over free expression, state power and the responsibilities of private platforms. As the new regulator begins to define its role, its initiatives will likely face scrutiny from both civil liberties advocates and the country’s powerful tech sector.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
