Apple updates South Korea App Store age ratings: GRAC override support now, and two descriptors shift to 12+ in October
Apple Developer News outlines two Korea-specific age rating changes: you can now override your App Store Korea age rating by submitting a GRAC Rating Classification Number, and in October two ‘infrequent’ content descriptors will move from All to 12+.
Original post (source): Apple Developer News - “Updates to age ratings for the Republic of Korea” (Aug 12, 2026)
Summary
Apple announced two changes that affect age ratings on the App Store in Korea.
1) GRAC rating override support (available now)
If your app has an official rating from Korea’s Game Rating and Administration Committee (GRAC), Apple says you can now override your existing App Store Korea age rating to one of the Korea-specific ratings:
- All
- 12+
- 15+
- 19+
To do it, Apple says you need to provide your GRAC Rating Classification Number (RCN) with your app’s next version submission.
Apple’s help doc: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-app-information/set-an-app-age-rating#override-region-specific-ratings
2) Two content descriptors move from All to 12+ (October 2026)
Apple says that starting in October 2026, two descriptors will shift from All to 12+ for the Korea storefront:
- Infrequent profanity and crude humor
- Infrequent mature or suggestive themes
Korea rating values reference: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/age-ratings-values-and-definitions#republic-of-korea-age-rating-values
Why this matters for app teams
This is a classic “looks like admin, but it is actually growth + ops” change:
- Storefront-specific ratings can change distribution and conversion. Even if your core product is unchanged, a 12+ label can impact who sees the app (and how it is perceived).
- Submission flow and compliance ownership matter. If nobody “owns” App Store Connect questionnaire answers and regional rules, you will find out via a rejected update or a last-minute scramble.
Tiny win (practical follow-up)
Do a 20-minute sweep:
- Identify whether your app is distributed in Korea and whether you have a GRAC rating/RCN you should keep on file.
- Re-check your App Store Connect age rating questionnaire answers, specifically anything that could map to the two descriptors moving to 12+.
- Add a lightweight checklist item before submissions: “Korea rating reviewed” (especially for content-heavy apps).
Read the original: https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=oj3r9pvw
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