World's Largest Personal Information Event to Be Held in Seoul...Privacy in the AI Era Under Discussion

GPA General Assembly to Be Held for Five Days Starting September 15
AI Big Tech Companies to Share Open-Source Technologies
Korea CPO Council to Announce Joint Declaration
Over 1,000 Participants Expected... Diverse Topics for Discussion

The world's largest global event in the field of personal information protection will be held in Seoul for five days starting on September 15. This is the first time the event will take place in Korea, and it will focus on personal information issues in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). Leading global AI companies such as Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and Naver will participate, sharing open-source technologies.

Haksoo Ko, Chairperson of the Personal Information Protection Commission. Photo by Yongjun Cho

The Personal Information Protection Commission announced on September 7 that the 'Global Privacy Assembly (GPA)' will be held at the Grand Hyatt Seoul Hotel from September 15 to 19. The GPA is the largest consultative body in the field of personal information protection, with 148 personal information supervisory authorities from 95 countries participating worldwide.

The annual general meeting is being held in Korea for the first time this year. In Asia, this is only the second time, following Hong Kong in 2017. The Personal Information Protection Commission submitted a proposal to host the GPA general meeting in April 2023, and after review by the executive committee, Korea was unanimously selected as the host country by member states.

This event will bring together experts from a variety of fields, including chief privacy and regulatory compliance officers from global big tech companies, academia, and civic groups, to discuss data and personal information issues faced in the AI era. More than 1,000 participants, including domestic and international experts and the general public, are expected to attend.

The event will showcase Korea's AI innovation technologies and administrative cases, and global companies will share the latest trends and strategies for their open-source AI model solutions. It is also expected to serve as an opportunity to expand points of exchange between companies and to promote the activation of the AI ecosystem.

The 'Open Source Day,' held on the first day, will feature AI specialists from companies such as Google, Microsoft, Meta, OpenAI, and Naver, sharing insights on open-source technologies and business strategies. Attendees will also have the opportunity to experience various AI innovations, including Samsung Electronics' 'Knox Vault Platform,' LG Uplus' 'IXIO,' Google AI's 'Astra Project,' and Toss' 'Face Pay.'

The Korea Chief Privacy Officer (KCPO) Council is scheduled to announce a joint declaration for the creation of a safe AI ecosystem.

From September 16 to 19, there will be five keynote speeches and 20 panel discussions. The detailed topics include: global AI data governance, agent AI, privacy-enhancing technologies, privacy for children and adolescents, cross-border data transfers, and bridging gaps between supervisory authorities.

Cultural events will also be held for attendees visiting Korea, offering experiences of Korean food, shopping, and cheering culture.

Haksoo Ko, Chairperson of the Personal Information Protection Commission, expressed his expectations for the event, stating, "I hope this GPA general meeting will serve as a catalyst, making Korea's policy direction a central axis in discussions on data and personal information governance in the international community."