Polymarket Ends Korean-Language Service, Removes Korea-Focused Markets for South Korean Users

Polymarket, a global blockchain-based prediction market, has ended Korean-language support and stopped displaying Korea-related prediction markets to users in South Korea. The move is being interpreted as a preemptive step to avoid a full access block as South Korean authorities review whether the platform constitutes gambling and police investigate users.

As of July 29, Korean had disappeared from Polymarket’s language-selection menu. The site had previously routed users in South Korea to a Korean-language page automatically, but it now defaults to English. Korea-related markets tied to domestic politics, economic indicators and sports have also become difficult to find in search and recommendation feeds.

The Korea-related contracts themselves do not appear to have been shut down. On Polymarket’s global page, markets including whether North and South Korea will hold direct talks this year and South Korea’s third-quarter economic growth rate were still visible. The platform appears to have restricted exposure of those markets only for South Korean users while keeping global trading and existing contracts in place.

Industry participants say Polymarket has scaled back its localized services with South Korean regulatory scrutiny in mind. On July 6, the Korea Communications Standards Commission’s Broadcasting and Media Review Division gave the company an opportunity to present its position as it examines Polymarket’s legality and operating model. After reviewing the submitted materials, the regulator will decide whether to request corrective measures such as blocking access.

At the time, the division told Bloomingbit that Polymarket could become subject to review if it provided Korean-language services and marketed to users in South Korea. Because the platform allows users to stake real money and profit based on the outcome of specific events, authorities see room to classify it as a new type of gambling site. That is why Korean-language support and the visibility of Korea-related markets have been cited as key factors in the regulatory assessment.

A police investigation is also under way. The Gangwon Provincial Police Agency, acting at the request of the National Police Agency, is investigating South Korean Polymarket users on gambling allegations. South Korean users can be punished for wagering money on overseas illegal gambling sites even if the servers and operators are based abroad.

South Korea has not yet been designated as one of Polymarket’s officially restricted jurisdictions. The country was not included on Polymarket’s published list of 39 restricted countries. Ending Korean-language support and removing Korea-related market exposure at the same time appears aimed at underscoring that the platform is not actively marketing to South Korean users, lowering the risk of an access block. Polymarket has not issued an official statement on the reason for the changes.

An official at the review division said the process remains under way and is still at the stage of receiving Polymarket’s submission. No timetable has been set for additional measures, the official said. The official added that the service changes appear to have been decided by Polymarket independently of the regulator’s review.