South Korea Delays Cryptocurrency Bill Submission Amid Unresolved Issues

According to Cointelegraph, South Korean lawmakers have postponed the submission of a cryptocurrency bill aimed at allowing the issuance of domestic stablecoins due to unresolved key issues. The Digital Asset Basic Act, initially proposed by the ruling Democratic Party in June, is now expected to be submitted in 2026. The delay stems from disagreements with relevant organizations, including stablecoin issuers, over major aspects of the bill. The proposed legislation seeks to permit the issuance of stablecoins pegged to the South Korean won, potentially boosting the country's crypto market. Under the bill, stablecoin issuers would be required to entrust their reserve assets to authorized custodians, such as banks. However, disagreements have arisen over whether it is necessary to authorize a group of organizations to oversee stablecoin issuers before approval. The Financial Services Commission is currently reviewing the proposal and considering limiting the role of financial institutions in stablecoins to encourage participation from technology companies. Addressing the issuance of local stablecoins was among the promises made by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung before taking office in June. He also advocated for the national pension fund to invest in digital assets and supported the issuance of exchange-traded funds linked to Bitcoin (BTC). In related news, Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon, recently sentenced to 15 years in prison in the United States for his involvement in the collapse of the company's ecosystem, may serve part of his sentence in South Korea, where he holds citizenship. Kwon could face up to 40 years in prison locally, according to a filing from his legal team.