With the relevant bill passing the National Assembly this March, the Game Rating and Administration Committee (GRAC) is now setting its sights on a November handover of PC and console 'adult-only' game ratings to private institutions.

The transition process, spearheaded by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the GRAC, is unfolding in three distinct stages. Stage one involves offloading PC and console titles rated as 'adult-only' to the Game Content Rating Committee. Stage two targets the migration of mobile game ratings, while the final stage three aims for full-scale autonomous regulation.

As for that first stage, GRAC Chairman Seo Tae-geon met with reporters at a gaming user communication forum held on the 7th floor of Gyeonggi Content Korea Lab on the 29th. When asked about the progress, he noted, "We are aiming for a November transfer. It is not merely about shifting the workload; we are also preparing robust follow-up measures to address any potential issues that might arise post-transition."

The subsequent stages, however, will likely demand a bit more patience. Regarding stage two, Chairman Seo explained, "For mobile games, there are technical hurdles involving integration with global systems like the IARC." As for the final stage of total autonomy, he remarked, "We believe extensive discussions are required, particularly concerning gambling elements and arcade games."

Previously, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism indicated that the entire transition process is expected to reach completion after 2027. Furthermore, a comprehensive revision bill for the Game Industry Promotion Act, proposed by Assemblyman Cho Seung-rae on the 24th, suggests abolishing the current GRAC. It proposes establishing a new entity, the Korea Game Promotion Agency (tentative name), which would house a revamped committee tasked solely with managing arcade games and gambling-related oversight.

Chairman Seo remains adamant that this transition is a necessary step and expressed a desire to expedite the process as much as possible. Nevertheless, he cautioned that society needs to engage in deeper deliberation before we can consider handing total autonomy to arcade games—a sector where the risk of gambling-related operational issues remains stubbornly high.