South Korea Tightens Cryptocurrency Regulations with New Amendments

South Korean lawmakers have introduced amendments to strengthen regulatory oversight in the cryptocurrency sector. The proposed changes aim to curb speculative investment activities within chat rooms on social media platforms and impose stricter controls on crypto exchanges. Specifically, DPK members Min Byoung-dug and Kang Hoon-sik are driving this initiative by requiring these chat rooms to register as quasi-investment advisory businesses with the Financial Services Commission (FSC). This will effectively restrict their ability to compensate for investment losses, guarantee returns, or misrepresent profit rates. In addition, the proposed amendments demand that crypto exchanges disclose any changes to their terms and conditions to the FSC. Additionally, legislator Min Byoung-dug has proposed a separate bill aimed at safeguarding customer assets in the event of a cryptocurrency exchange’s bankruptcy. This legislation seeks to ensure that customers’ rights to recover their assets are not jeopardized during such instances.