The Korea Mobile Game Association and Shinwon Law Group have entered into a strategic partnership to bolster legal advisory services and coordinate responses regarding the local agent designation system for the gaming industry.

Effective October 23, the amended Game Industry Promotion Act mandates that foreign game operators meeting specific criteria must designate a local agent within the country.

In response, both parties have pledged to cooperate on comprehensive legal consulting for domestic and international game businesses, ensuring the smooth implementation of the local agent designation system.

Shinwon Law Group is widely recognised for its expertise in navigating regulatory frameworks, including the Game Industry Act, the Personal Information Protection Act, and the Information and Communications Network Act, as well as handling publishing contracts and the display obligations for probability-based items.

The Korea Mobile Game Association, a non-profit organisation under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, has been supporting the growth of South Korea's small and medium-sized game developers since 2015. The association represents over 1,200 member companies and maintains extensive networks across China, Russia, North America, and Europe.

Through this partnership, both entities will collaborate on managing the local agent designation process for foreign firms. They also plan to implement a monitoring system for the broader industry, establishing a mechanism for legal action and reporting non-compliant developers to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Furthermore, a dedicated committee comprising private sector experts will be formed to foster a healthy gaming ecosystem. The committee aims to achieve several objectives: ▲ Creating a fair competitive environment for the gaming industry ▲ Strengthening protection for domestic users ▲ Ensuring the effectiveness of administrative and legal enforcement ▲ Clarifying management and accountability structures.

Hwang Sung-ik, Chairman of the Korea Mobile Game Association, stated, "For the healthy growth of small and medium-sized game companies that form the backbone of the Korean gaming industry, it is essential that the local agent system for foreign firms is properly established to create a fair ecosystem. The association will accelerate its legal advisory efforts to support these developers. We ask for your continued interest and support."

Kim Jin-wook, Managing Partner at Shinwon Law Group, remarked, "By leveraging our deep understanding of the gaming sector, we will provide optimal local agent services to ensure foreign game companies can conduct business stably without legal risks. We are also committed to supporting the sustainable growth of the domestic gaming industry through our collaboration with the association."

Lee Jae-hong, former Chairman of the Game Rating and Administration Committee and current President of the Korea Game Policy Society, has joined the partnership as a senior advisor. Lee Jae-hong commented, "It is an honour to join this collaboration between the Korea Mobile Game Association and Shinwon Law Group regarding the local agent designation system. I will work diligently to foster a fair competitive environment for both domestic and foreign game companies, protect user rights, and contribute to the advancement of the South Korean gaming industry."