Ministry of Health and Welfare announces proposed amendment to Public Health Control Act enforcement decree
The government is moving to crack down on the spread of unregistered lodging businesses operating through online platforms and to protect consumer safety.
Under the new rules, platform operators that broker accommodations for unregistered lodging businesses will face fines of 5 million won ($3,220).
The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced Thursday that it had pre-announced legislation for a partial amendment to the enforcement decree of the Public Health Control Act containing these provisions.
The amendment sets a specific fine amount for online platform operators and other e-commerce intermediaries that broker lodging services on behalf of unregistered accommodation providers.
The government had previously revised the Public Health Control Act to ban e-commerce intermediaries from brokering unregistered lodging businesses and to allow fines of up to 10 million won for violations. The revised law was promulgated on Nov. 11, 2025, and is set to take effect one year later, on Nov. 12 this year.
The enforcement decree amendment specifies the fine at 5 million won, as delegated by the law.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said the revision was needed because unregistered lodging businesses operating through online platforms have been proliferating. It added that imposing minimum oversight obligations on e-commerce intermediaries was necessary to protect consumer rights and foster a safe and sound lodging environment.
The amended enforcement decree will take effect alongside the revised Public Health Control Act on Nov. 12.
thlee@heraldcorp.com
