What measures is South Korea preparing to address privacy and covert-filming concerns involving smart glasses?

Bae said the government was preparing guidelines and would accelerate their development, with response measures coordinated across ministries. He made the commitment after a lawmaker asked about covert filming and privacy violations.

Which countries or regions are considering restrictions on smart glasses?

Norway, Australia and the European Union are weighing possible restrictions on smart glasses, the article reports.

Science minister vows to come up with pan-ministerial measures to regulate smart glasses

Q: Why are South Korean authorities concerned about smart glasses?

The devices can record through cameras built into their frames, and some users in Korea have been caught using them to cheat in academic and technical exams or illegally film others. Authorities had identified three illegal-filming cases involving smart glasses as of 2026.

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Summary

Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon said Friday at the National Assembly in Seoul that the government will speed up work on measures addressing problems caused by smart glasses. He said the response would be coordinated across ministries and that guidelines were already being prepared. Concerns include covert filming, privacy violations and cheating in exams. Authorities had recorded three cases of illegal filming using smart glasses as of this year.

Key Facts

President Lee Jae Myung had raised the issue during a recent Cabinet meeting, Bae said.
Smart glasses can use cameras to film objects or display visual information on their lenses.
Ray-Ban, from Meta Platforms Inc., helped bring the technology into the mainstream.
Some people in Korea have been caught using smart glasses to cheat in academic and technical exams or to film others illegally.
Norway, Australia and the European Union are among those weighing possible restrictions on the devices.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 23, 2026 3:42 pm KST

Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon speaks at a parliamentary audit held at the National Assembly in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon said Friday his ministry will make efforts to devise measures to address problems caused by smart glasses, vowing to speed up related guidelines already under preparation.

Bae made the remarks during a parliamentary audit held at the National Assembly when a lawmaker asked whether the ministry is planning to deal with concerns over covert filming and privacy violations caused by such devices.

"We will swiftly come up with response measures from a pan-ministerial level," Bae said, noting that President Lee Jae Myung pointed out the issue during a recent Cabinet meeting. "We are preparing a guideline but will speed up its progress."

Smart glasses are wearable computer frames that integrate digital technology into eyewear, allowing people to film objects with a camera installed on the glasses, or show visual information on the lenses. The technology was brought to the mainstream mostly by Ray-Ban from Meta Platforms Inc.

The device has recently face scrutiny in Korea, as a few people have been caught using them to cheat in academic and technical exams or illegally film others. Several countries, including Norway, Australia and the European Union, are already weighing possible restrictions on such devices.

Authorities found a total of three cases of illegal filming utilizing smart glasses as of this year, according to data from Rep. Lee Jeong-heon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea.

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