Operators of high-impact AI must establish and operate a risk management plan
Download: JSON · MarkdownUnder AI Basic Act, Article 34(1)
What this label means
- Verified
- — a named reviewer opened the official source and confirmed the record; the date and the reviewer are shown.
- Pending review
- — linked to the official source and in the queue for a reviewer to confirm.
- Source-linked
- — linked to the official source, not yet confirmed by a reviewer.
On this page 9 sections
In brief
Operators of high-impact AI must establish and operate a risk management plan is a legal requirement under AI Basic Act in South Korea (Article 34(1)). An AI business operator that provides high-impact AI, or a product or service using it, must establish and operate a plan for managing the risks of that AI. It applies from 22 January 2026.
- Instrument
- AI Basic Act
- Jurisdiction
- South Korea
- Nature
- Legal requirement
- Source reference
- Article 34(1)
- Applies from
- 22 January 2026
- Who it binds
- Provider / developer, Deployer / user organisation, Public authority / government body
- Evidence examples
- 2
- Framework mappings
- ISO/IEC 42001:2023, NIST AI Risk Management Framework 1.0
- Controls that meet it
- 2
- Official source
- Open official text
- Verification
- Verified against the official source 26 Sep 2026
What does it require?
An AI business operator that provides high-impact AI, or a product or service using it, must establish and operate a plan for managing the risks of that AI. High-impact AI is AI used in areas such as energy, drinking water, health care and medical devices, nuclear safety, biometric analysis for criminal investigation, decisions on recruitment or loans, transport, public services and education, where it may materially affect life, safety or fundamental rights.
Practical action
Classify systems against the high-impact areas and write a risk management plan for each one before launch.
Who does it apply to?
AI business operators providing high-impact AI or products and services based on it; operators may ask the ministry to confirm whether a system is high-impact under Article 33.
Applies from:
Which controls meet this duty?
Satisfies: the control, operated properly, does the work the duty asks for. Supports: it contributes but the duty needs more. Each control page lists every other duty it serves, so work done once can be counted once.
-
satisfiesProcessAI system owner · once per ai systemAI risk assessment and lifecycle risk register
Serves 12 recorded duties · evidence: AI system risk assessment, Per-system AI risk register, Residual-risk acceptance
Per-system risk plan with identified risks and treatments.
-
supportsProcessAI governance lead · continuousAI system inventory and classification
Serves 11 recorded duties · evidence: AI system register, Risk-tier classification sign-off, AI intake and classification procedure
Classification of systems against the high-impact list.
Templates that cover this duty
Generated from the records. Free · no account · links emailed to your work address. This duty is cited in each file with its source reference and a link back here.
- AI Risk Register (MIT AI Risk Repository taxonomy)
Register · XLSX · v4
- AI Impact Assessment
Assessment · DOCX and XLSX · v5
- ISO/IEC 42001 Gap Assessment and Statement of Applicability
Assessment · XLSX · v3
- NIST AI RMF ↔ EU AI Act ↔ ISO/IEC 42001 Crosswalk
Crosswalk · XLSX · v5
What evidence would a reviewer expect?
| Evidence | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| High-impact AI risk management plan | document | |
| High-impact classification record | record |
Framework mappings
Original editorial crosswalks. They cite clause numbers only and reproduce no standard text; confidence reflects how direct the mapping is.
See every South Korea duty mapped this way →
| Framework | Reference | Note | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO/IEC 42001:2023 | Clause 6.1.2, 6.1.3, 8.1 | Risk assessment, treatment and operational planning. | medium |
| NIST AI RMF 1.0 | MAP 1.5, MANAGE 1.3 | Risk tolerance and treatment. | medium |
Frequently asked questions
Is this a legal requirement?
Yes. It is a legal requirement under AI Basic Act (Article 34(1)).
Who must comply with this obligation?
AI business operators providing high-impact AI or products and services based on it; operators may ask the ministry to confirm whether a system is high-impact under Article 33.
When does this obligation apply?
It applies from 22 January 2026.
What evidence shows compliance?
A reviewer would expect: High-impact AI risk management plan; High-impact classification record.
Which frameworks map to this obligation?
It is mapped to ISO/IEC 42001:2023 Clause 6.1.2, 6.1.3, 8.1, NIST AI Risk Management Framework 1.0 MAP 1.5, MANAGE 1.3. These are editorial crosswalks with a stated confidence, not official mappings.
Which controls satisfy this obligation?
AI risk assessment and lifecycle risk register; AI system inventory and classification.
What should an organisation do in practice?
Classify systems against the high-impact areas and write a risk management plan for each one before launch.
Cite this record
AIPolicyTracker (2026). “Operators of high-impact AI must establish and operate a risk management plan (AI Basic Act)” [AIPT-OBL-0063, verified 26 September 2026 by Bhaskar Bhatt]. https://aipolicytracker.org/id/AIPT-OBL-0063 (accessed 8 November 2026). Data licensed CC BY 4.0.
Permanent id AIPT-OBL-0063: it never changes or gets reused, and its address keeps working if this page moves.
Cite the official text alongside it: Framework Act on the Development of Artificial Intelligence and Establishment of a Foundation for Trust (AI Basic Act, Act No. 20676), Korea Ministry of Government Legislation, National Law Information Center, https://www.law.go.kr/lsInfoP.do?lsiSeq=268543.
BibTeX
@misc{aipolicytracker2026_operatorsofhighimpactaim,
author = {{AIPolicyTracker}},
title = {{Operators of high-impact AI must establish and operate a risk management plan (AI Basic Act)}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://aipolicytracker.org/obligations/south-korea-ai-basic-act-art-34-high-impact-ai-risk-management-plan}},
url = {https://aipolicytracker.org/obligations/south-korea-ai-basic-act-art-34-high-impact-ai-risk-management-plan},
urldate = {2026-11-08},
note = {Data licensed CC BY 4.0. Accessed 8 November 2026}
}
Change history
No change to this record's tracked fields has been recorded since 15 October 2026, when field-level history began.
Similar obligations in other instruments
- Deployers must implement a risk management policy and programme — Colorado AI Act, Colorado (United States)
- Deployers must use reasonable care to avoid algorithmic discrimination — Colorado AI Act, Colorado (United States)
- Apply minimum risk-management practices to high-impact AI — OMB M-25-21, United States
- Establish a risk management system for high-risk AI — EU AI Act, European Union
- Developers must use reasonable care to avoid algorithmic discrimination — Colorado AI Act, Colorado (United States)
- Ensure AI systems are safe, secure and robust throughout their lifecycle — UK AI regulation framework, United Kingdom (voluntary)
- Prioritise, respond to and monitor AI risks (Manage) — NIST AI RMF, United States (voluntary)
Disclaimer: informational only, not legal advice. Verify every claim against the linked official sources and consult a qualified lawyer before acting.