Ministry Orders Game Publisher to Disclose Loot Box Odds by October 27

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has issued a corrective order against the game publisher PLAY CAT NETWORK TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED for failing to disclose the probabilities of probability-based items in its game ‘영혼인도자: 신의 이름으로’. The order was published on 6 October 2026 in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Korea No. 21334 as 문화체육관광부공고 제2026-0388호, and gives the company until 27 October 2026 to publish the missing odds.

The notice was served by public announcement under Article 14(4) of the Administrative Procedures Act, because the ministry could not confirm the addressee’s address through ordinary means of service. The legal basis cited is Article 33(2) of the Game Industry Promotion Act, which sets the obligation to display probability information, together with Article 38(9) to (11) of the same act.

The case is not new. A preliminary notice of the same corrective order was published on 10 September 2026 as 문화체육관광부공고 제2026-0362호, giving the company until 28 September 2026 to submit its opinion. The final order followed after that deadline passed.

Ten items flagged for missing odds

The ministry lists ten separate failures to disclose probabilities, nine of them inside the game and one on the company’s website:

• Probability-based item (level 1 jewel treasure chest) — odds not displayed in game.
• Probability-based items (pet talent random scroll, special talent random chest) — odds not displayed in game.
• Probability-based items (full-body accessory gift box, legendary 2-star soul-flame random chest) — odds not displayed in game.
• Probability-based items (hero/legendary 2-star expedition gift box, hero codex random package) — odds not displayed in game.
• Probability-based item (holy temple random treasure chest) — odds not displayed in game.
• Probability-based items (infinite gem gift, new-won random treasure chest) — odds not displayed in game.
• Probability-based item (illusionist scroll codex random chest) — odds not displayed in game.
• Probability-based items across the ingot shop — odds not displayed in game.
• Probability-based item (heavenly stone treasure chest) — odds not displayed in game.
• Paid probability-based items overall — odds not displayed on the website.

What the company must do

The order requires the publisher to display the probabilities for all ten categories, both in the game and on the website, and to report the result to the ministry.

• Submitting body: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Game Content Industry Division, officer Kim Tae-hyung.
• Address: 388 Galmae-ro, Sejong Special Self-Governing City.
• Contact: telephone 044-203-3270, email bigbro@korea.kr, fax 044-203-3465.
• Deadline for the compliance report: 27 October 2026 (Tuesday).

Penalties and appeal routes

The notice states that failure to comply within the deadline may trigger, under Article 45(11) of the Game Industry Promotion Act, imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of up to 20 million won, or restriction of the game’s domestic distribution.

The company retains several avenues of challenge:

• An objection to the ministry within 30 days of receiving the disposition, under Article 36 of the Framework Act on Administration.
• An administrative appeal within 90 days of learning of the disposition, or within 180 days of the disposition itself.
• Administrative litigation within 90 days of learning of the disposition, or within one year of the disposition itself.

The notice also notes that the Administrative Appeals Commission provides free state-appointed counsel for claimants who cannot afford a representative, with applications available through the online appeals portal.

Why it matters

The order puts a foreign publisher’s Korean service under a hard deadline and ties non-compliance to criminal liability and a possible ban on domestic distribution, the strongest tools the ministry holds under the display-obligation regime. For players of ‘영혼인도자: 신의 이름으로’, it means the odds behind paid random items must be published within three weeks or the game itself may be pulled from the Korean market.

Source: 관보 (Official Gazette of the Republic of Korea), No. 21334, 6 October 2026, section I (공고) (official reference: 문화체육관광부공고 제2026-0388호).