Follow-up to the Enactment of the AI Basic Act:
Three Core Values and Seven Key Principles
With the advent of the era of artificial intelligence (AI), the government has unveiled a draft of its proposed AI Ethics Principles. The government plans to finalize and announce the guidelines—consisting of three core values and seven pillars—within this month, after collecting feedback from various stakeholders.
On the morning of August 14, the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI) held a public forum under the theme “AI for Everyone, Co-creating AI Ethics Principles.” At the event, they introduced the draft of the AI Ethics Principles, which is structured around three core values and seven principles. The three values are: ▲ respect for human dignity, ▲ public good of society, and ▲ sustainability of humanity. The seven principles are: ▲ human-centricity, ▲ protection of privacy, ▲ fairness and inclusiveness, ▲ responsibility, ▲ safety, ▲ reliability, and ▲ transparency.
View original image
Since the end of last year, the government has been formulating the Republic of Korea AI Ethics Principles based on Article 27 of the “Framework Act on Promotion and Trust-building for Artificial Intelligence” (AI Framework Act). While inheriting the “AI Ethics Guidelines” established in 2020, the new draft also reflects emerging technologies such as agentic AI and physical AI, as well as the policy environment following the implementation of the AI Framework Act.
Professor Lee Sangwook from the Department of Philosophy and Department of Artificial Intelligence at Hanyang University, who delivered the keynote address, noted, “As AI technologies change rapidly, decisions made during AI development and utilization have become increasingly complex. The ethical principles should not serve as obstacles to innovation, but rather as supportive factors that help ensure AI can be developed and utilized in desirable ways by considering a range of issues and making such outcomes possible in practice.”
The comprehensive discussion moderated by Professor Moon Myungjae from the Department of Public Administration at Yonsei University followed. Participating as an academic expert, Professor Byun Sunyong from the Department of Ethics Education at Seoul National University of Education commented, “Since AI has become a fundamental part of society’s infrastructure, it is necessary to move beyond perceiving AI as merely a dangerous or risky object. The current draft of the ethical principles appears to have made substantial efforts to reflect this perspective.”
Representing civil society, Hong Yunhee, Chairperson of the board at the nonprofit organization Moui, emphasized the importance of broad civic participation in AI development and utilization, stating, “We must move beyond a traditional beneficiary-centered approach and view citizens as rights-bearing agents in the AI process.”
View original image
From an industry perspective, some argued that the ethical principles should not become new regulations or blanket obligations. Kim Kyunghoon, AI Safety Lead at Kakao, stressed, “It is essential to ensure that ethical recommendations are not confused with legal obligations.” Kim Hyunjoo, Director at the Korea Artificial Intelligence and Software Industry Association (KOSA), highlighted, “As new technology issues such as AI agents and physical AI emerge, ethics plays an important role in bridging the gap between legislation and technological advancement.”
Lee Jinsu, Director of AI Policy Planning at the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, “The Republic of Korea AI Ethics Principles are standards that all of us should uphold to foster the foundational AI society. We are striving to reflect the voices of diverse members of society.” He added, “We will faithfully incorporate the feedback raised at this forum as we officially enact the ethics principles. Moving forward, the government, businesses, and citizens alike will be actively supported so that each actor can practice these principles in their respective spheres.”
Hot Picks Today
“One Less Worry About Old Age”: Japanese Companies Secure Senior Talent with Regular Employment Beyond 65
The ministry will review the suggestions raised at this public forum, further refine the ethical principles, and officially establish and announce them within this month. The draft of the Republic of Korea AI Ethics Principles can be found on the AI Ethics Communication Channel websites of the Ministry of Science and ICT and KISDI.
This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.
© The Asia Business Daily. All rights reserved. Unauthorized AI training and use prohibited.
