"Accelerating AI Legislation Reforms" Ministry of Science and ICT Launches AI Legislation Reform Task Force

The 2nd Artificial Intelligence Legal Reform Task Force Inauguration Ceremony Held

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] The government is set to actively pursue the establishment of laws and regulations to advance as a leading nation in artificial intelligence (AI).

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Information Society Agency (NIA) held the inauguration ceremony of the "2nd AI Legal and Regulatory Reform Committee" on the 19th at Post Tower in Jung-gu, Seoul.

The AI Legal Reform Committee has been operating since last year to study reasonable regulatory measures that bridge the gap between existing regulations and new technologies, aiming to expand the utilization of AI, a core element of the 4th Industrial Revolution. The 1st Committee prepared a proactive and comprehensive "AI Law, System, and Regulation Reform Roadmap" to promote the AI industry, strengthen the utilization foundation, and prevent negative effects. Currently, the government is promoting regulatory innovation and legal system reforms across ministries based on this roadmap.

The newly launched 2nd AI Legal Reform Committee will focus on supporting legal reforms by relevant ministries according to the roadmap established last year and will identify new legal issues considering AI technological advancements and field demands. To this end, 30 experts from various fields, including legal scholars and AI specialists, have been appointed as committee members. The committee will hold plenary meetings involving all members and organize three subcommittees based on the implementation timeline of the roadmap: short-term tasks, mid-to-long-term tasks, and new tasks. Each subcommittee will form working groups composed of relevant ministries, key specialized institutions, and private experts with practical expertise to conduct research, review, and gather opinions from various sectors according to priority.

At the inauguration ceremony, Jang Seok-young, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, “To achieve the outcomes of the Digital New Deal and realize a leading AI nation, it is important to establish a legal and institutional foundation that allows AI to spread throughout society and industry, fostering innovation alongside building an industrial base.” He added, “I hope the Legal Reform Committee will serve as a focal point and driving force for the swift implementation of legal and institutional reforms that will open a new future for the Republic of Korea, based on wisdom and valuable insights.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.