Apple updates App Store age ratings in South Korea, with new 12+ rules coming in October

Apple has updated its App Store age rating system in South Korea, allowing developers with an official classification from the country’s Game Rating and Administration Committee (GRAC) to override their existing App Store rating. A separate change affecting how certain content is classified will follow in October 2026.

The first change took effect on August 12. Developers whose apps have already received an official GRAC rating can now use that classification for their App Store listing in South Korea instead of the age rating otherwise assigned through Apple’s system.

Developers can choose from South Korea’s region-specific ratings — All, 12+, 15+, or 19+ — by entering their app’s GRAC Rating Classification Number (RCN) when submitting their next app version.

The update applies to apps in the Games and Entertainment categories. In South Korea, Apple assigns region-specific ratings to these apps based on developers’ responses to the App Store Connect age rating questionnaire. Developers with a GRAC classification now have an additional mechanism for aligning their App Store rating with the rating issued by the local authority.

Another adjustment is scheduled for October 2026. At that point, apps containing infrequent profanity or crude humor and those containing infrequent mature or suggestive themes will receive a 12+ rating instead of All in South Korea.

For developers, the immediate change means eligible apps with existing GRAC classifications can already update their South Korean App Store ratings as part of their next app submission. The October update will separately change the age threshold Apple applies to the two specified content categories.