According to a new economic policy roadmap published by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the country will introduce a National Asset Basic Act to replace the framework based on the National Property Act adopted in 1950.
The ministry said the current legislation was designed in the post-war period, when state assets consisted mainly of land and real estate, and is no longer suitable for the digital economy. The new framework will expand the scope of management to include intellectual property rights, digital assets and other intangible assets. It will also shift the focus from preserving and disposing of public property to maximising its economic value.
Alongside the legal reform, South Korea reaffirmed plans to launch a pilot programme for tokenised government bonds in 2027. The Ministry of Economy and Finance believes blockchain could significantly reduce transaction costs, shorten transfer times and improve the operational efficiency of the government bond market.
The pilot will be directly connected to the central bank digital currency infrastructure of the Bank of Korea (BOK). Authorities will also study interoperability between the central bank’s blockchain and other blockchain networks.
The government is also considering the tokenisation of state-owned real estate, which could allow retail investors to purchase fractional ownership interests and earn returns from public assets that were previously almost inaccessible.
To prepare for this transition, amendments to the Capital Markets Act and the Electronic Securities Act will take effect on February 4, 2027. For the first time, blockchain systems will be recognised as legally valid securities registration infrastructure.
The initiative forms part of South Korea’s strategy to make blockchain and digital assets new drivers of economic growth. The Ministry of Economy and Finance previously announced plans to develop a Digital Asset Act in the second half of 2026. The legislation will establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for the issuance, trading and custody of digital assets and stablecoins, while also paving the way for spot Bitcoin ETFs and other digital financial products.
South Korea is also testing tokenised deposits for government budget spending, while the Bank of Korea continues to expand its CBDC trials with commercial banks. The long-term goal is to connect these initiatives into a unified digital financial infrastructure in which CBDCs, tokenised assets and blockchain networks can operate together.
South Korea is accelerating its efforts across several areas of the digital economy. Under the 2026 policy roadmap, the government continues to identify blockchain as a strategic pillar of economic growth alongside artificial intelligence and semiconductors. Authorities are also promoting tokenised securities projects and working to complete the country’s broader digital asset ecosystem.
Meanwhile, South Korea’s financial market has recently experienced a sharp correction. Only a few days earlier, the KOSPI index plunged nearly 9% in a single session, forcing the Korea Exchange to activate a market-wide trading circuit breaker. Investors described the event as the second “Black Monday” of 2026. The sell-off was triggered by a collapse in artificial intelligence and semiconductor stocks, particularly SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics, following an extended period of rapid gains.
Сonclusion: South Korea is moving beyond basic crypto regulation toward full integration of digital assets into public finance and national asset management. The planned reforms could accelerate tokenised bonds, RWA markets and institutional blockchain adoption, provided the new legal framework is implemented effectively.
