South Korean authorities are warning Tesla owners that attempting to unlock Full Self-Driving (FSD) in unauthorized vehicles could carry serious legal consequences, including potential prison time.
The country’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport issued the warning this week after identifying a growing trend of drivers attempting to activate Tesla’s advanced driver-assistance feature through unofficial means. The issue came to light after Tesla’s local division flagged a software vulnerability tied to these efforts and reported it to regulators as a cybersecurity concern.
According to the ministry, cases have already surfaced overseas where owners used third-party devices or publicly shared code to enable FSD in vehicles not approved for the feature. Officials now fear similar attempts could spread within South Korea, particularly as online communities circulate instructions on how to bypass Tesla’s regional software restrictions.
FSD availability in South Korea remains limited. Currently, the feature is only permitted in U.S.-built Model S and Model X vehicles, as well as the Cybertruck. These vehicles qualify under provisions of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, which allows them to meet U.S. safety standards instead of local certification requirements.
However, Tesla’s more popular models in the country—such as the Model 3 and Model Y, which are typically imported from China—do not meet those exemptions. As a result, FSD is disabled on those vehicles despite the underlying software being present.
Authorities say any attempt to override those restrictions would render the vehicle non-compliant with local laws. Specifically, regulators cited Article 29 of the Motor Vehicle Management Act, which governs vehicle safety compliance, and Article 35, which prohibits unauthorized modifications that could impact safe operation.
“Violators may face up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won [$13,000],” the ministry said. “There must not be cases in which Tesla owners in Korea, without fully recognizing the issue, activate FSD without authorization.”
Tesla is said to be monitoring for unauthorized activations in real time and is evaluating additional countermeasures, which could include future software updates. The government has also requested that the automaker provide details on how it plans to address the issue.
