Guidelines & Advisories

Approval of the Partial Amendment to the 「Act on Prohibition of Financing for Terrorism and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction」 테러자금금지법 일부개정법률 공포안 국무회의 의결 KoFIU 2025.1.14


Not only persons related to terrorism or proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,
but also legal entities owned or controlled by them are subject to restrictions on
financial transactions and disposition of property rights.



When the Financial Services Commission (FSC) designates a person related to terrorism or proliferation of weapons of mass destruction as a “person subject to financial transaction restrictions,” not only that person but also any legal entity directly or indirectly owned or controlled by such person will automatically be subject to restrictions on financial transactions and disposition of property rights.


The partial amendment to the 「Act on Prohibition of Financing for Terrorism and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction」 (hereinafter, the “Act on Prohibition of Terrorist Financing”), which expands the scope of asset freezing for persons related to terrorism or proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (hereinafter, “terrorism-related persons”), was passed at the plenary session of the National Assembly on December 27, 2024, and the promulgation bill was approved at the Cabinet meeting on January 14, 2025.

Under the current Act, the Financial Services Commission may designate terrorism-related persons as “persons subject to financial transaction restrictions,” and such designated persons are subject to restrictions* on financial transactions and disposition of property rights.

*① A person subject to financial transaction restrictions must obtain approval from the FSC when conducting financial transactions or disposing of property rights (including cases where such person is the counterparty to a disposition of property rights) (Article 4(4) of the Act)

 ② Financial institutions, etc. shall not handle financial transactions of a person subject to financial transaction restrictions, or payments and receipts arising therefrom, unless approval has been obtained from the FSC (Article 5 of the Act)

 ③ No person shall engage in acts such as disposing of property rights with a person subject to financial transaction restrictions without approval from the FSC, while knowing that the counterparty is such a person (Article 6(2)3 of the Act)


However, under the current system, only the funds and assets of the terrorism-related person themselves can be subject to transaction restrictions, which presents a limitation in that the funds and assets of legal entities owned or controlled by such persons cannot be restricted. The international standards of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) also require the freezing of funds and assets directly or indirectly owned or controlled by terrorism-related persons.

Under the amended Act on Prohibition of Terrorist Financing, the Financial Services Commission may designate not only terrorism-related persons but also legal entities directly or indirectly owned or controlled by them as “persons subject to financial transaction restrictions.”

In addition, even if a legal entity has not been separately designated as a “person subject to financial transaction restrictions” by the FSC, if such entity is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by a designated terrorism-related person, its financial transactions and disposition of property rights will also be restricted.


< Scope of Persons Subject to Financial Transaction Restrictions and Asset Freezing after the Amendment >

CategoryScope of Application
Entities that may be designated as “Persons Subject to Financial Transaction Restrictions”
Terrorism-related persons+ Legal entities directly or indirectly owned or controlled by them
Entities subject to restrictions on financial transactions and disposition of property rights
Persons designated as “Persons Subject to Financial Transaction Restrictions”+ Legal entities directly or indirectly owned or controlled by them


Accordingly, the effectiveness of the Act on Prohibition of Terrorist Financing, which prohibits financing activities related to terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, is expected to be enhanced.

Furthermore, by amending the law in line with the international standards of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), it is expected to have a positive impact on the international credibility of Korea’s financial system.

The amended Act is scheduled to be promulgated within January and will come into force one year after its promulgation.

Prior to its enforcement, the government plans to revise subordinate regulations and provide guidance to financial institutions to ensure that financial transactions of terrorism-related persons and legal entities owned or controlled by them are appropriately restricted under the amended framework.





테러·대량살상무기확산과 관련된 자뿐 아니라

그가 소유하거나 지배하는 법인의

금융거래·재산권 처분도 제한됩니다.

 

- 「테러자금금지법」 일부개정법률 공포안 국무회의 의결 -

 금융위가 테러행위·대량살상무기확산과 관련된 자를 금융거래등제한대상자로 지정하면, 그자뿐 아니라 그자가 직·간접적으로 소유하거나 지배하는 법인도 자동적으로 금융 거래, 재산권 처분 등이 제한됨

 

테러 또는 대량살상무기확산(WMD) 등과 관련된 자(이하 ‘테러 관련자’)의 자산동결 범위를 확대하는 「공중등 협박목적 및 대량살상무기확산을 위한 자금조달행위의 금지에 관한 법률」(이하, ‘테러자금금지법’) 일부개정법률안이 ‘24.12.27일 국회 본회의를 통과하고 그 공포안이 금일(’25.1.14일) 국무회의에서 의결되었다.

 

현행 테러자금금지법에 따르면 금융위원회는 테러 관련자를 ‘금융거래등제한대상자’로 지정할 수 있으며, 지정된 자는 금융 거래, 재산권 처분 등이 제한*된다.

* ① 금융거래등제한대상자는 금융 거래 및 재산권 처분 등을 하려는 경우 (재산권 처분의 경우 그 

       상대방이 되는 경우도 포함) 금융위의 허가를 받아야 함 (법 제4조 제4항)

 

② 금융회사 등은 금융위의 허가를 받은 경우를 제외하고는 금융거래등제한대상자의 금융 

    거래 및 그에 따른 지급·영수 업무를 취급하면 안 됨 (법 제5조)

 

③ 상대방이 금융거래등제한대상자라는 사실을 알면서 금융위의 허가 없이 금융거래등제한

    대상자를 상대로 재산권 처분 등의 행위를 하면 안 됨 (법 제6조 제2항 제3호)


다만, 현행 제도는 테러 관련자 본인의 자금·재산에 대하여만 거래를 제한할 수 있어, 테러 관련자가 소유·지배하는 법인의 자금·재산의 거래를 제한할 수 없는 한계가 있었다. 국제자금세탁방지기구(FATF)의 국제기준도 테러 관련자가 직간접적으로 소유·지배하는 자금·재산까지 동결하도록 정하고 있다.

 

이번에 개정된 테러자금금지법에 따르면, 금융위원회는 테러 관련자뿐 아니라 그가 직간접적으로 소유·지배하는 법인도 ‘금융거래등제한대상자’로 지정할 수 있게 된다. 또한, 금융위원회가 ‘금융거래등제한대상자’로 별도로 지정하지 않은 법인이라도, 그 법인이 ‘금융거래등제한대상자’로 지정된 테러 관련자가 직간접적으로 소유·지배하는 법인이라면 금융 거래, 재산권 처분 등이 제한된다.

 

                    < ※ 개정 후 금융거래등제한대상자 및 자산동결 대상의 범위 >

 

적용 범위

‘금융거래등제한대상자’로

지정할 수 있는 대상

테러관련자 본인

+ 그가 직간접적으로 소유·지배하는 법인

금융 거래, 재산권 처분이

제한되는 대상

‘금융거래등제한대상자’로 지정된 자

+ 그가 직간접적으로 소유·지배하는 법인

 

이에 따라 테러·대량살상무기 확산 관련 자금조달 행위를 금지하는 테러자금금지법의 실효성이 제고될 것으로 기대된다. 또한, 국제자금세탁방지기구(FATF)의 국제기준에 부합하게 법률을 개정함에 따라, 국내 금융시스템의 국제신인도에도 긍정적인 영향을 미칠 것으로 기대된다.

 


이번 「테러자금금지법」 개정안은 1월 중 공포될 예정으로 공포 후 1년이 경과한 날부터 시행된다. 정부는 법률 시행 전까지 하위법령을 개정하는 한편, 금융회사 등이 개정된 제도에 따라 테러 관련자와 그가 소유·지배하는 법인의 금융 거래 등을 제한하도록 안내해 나갈 계획이다.

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