Government to Protect Youth from Deepfakes... Establishing an AI Ecosystem

Four Ministries Including Education and Gender Equality Join Forces
Cooperation to Enhance Digital and Media Competencies

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the Broadcasting and Media Communications Commission—four government ministries—have agreed to cooperate in supporting the safe use of artificial intelligence (AI) by youth.

On March 26, at the Gajaeul Youth Center in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, the “Work Agreement for Establishing a Safe and Inclusive AI and Science & Technology Foundation and Protecting Youth” was held, attended by Minister Won Minkyoung of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Minister Choi Gyojin of the Ministry of Education, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Gyunghoon, and Chairman Kim Jongcheol of the Broadcasting and Media Communications Commission.

This event was organized to establish an AI and science & technology foundation and to create a safe and trustworthy AI usage environment for all citizens, including youth and women.

Going forward, the four organizations plan to strengthen cooperation in various fields, including the improvement of AI ethics and safety systems to protect youth and prevent overdependence in online environments, expansion of AI-based support for youth in crisis, enhancement of digital competency through schools and youth facilities, and support for the growth of female talent in the science and technology and AI sectors.

Additionally, the organizations will work together on establishing policy foundations to minimize gender bias in AI, on data-sharing collaboration to strengthen the national competitiveness of AI models, and on upgrading the AI-based digital sex crime response system.

Furthermore, with this agreement as a starting point, they have pledged to maintain ongoing cooperation under a shared sense of purpose and responsibility in order to deliver tangible policy results.

After the signing ceremony, the heads of the organizations toured the youth facility, examining spaces where youth frequently participate in digital activity programs.

They also met with youth experiencing 3D printing to hear their opinions on changes in daily life brought by technological advances and on the policies they hope to see.

Minister Choi Gyojin of the Ministry of Education stated, “What is needed in the age of AI is not the technology itself, but the ability to understand and use it responsibly. We will strengthen AI and digital competency education, focusing on schools, and, through close cooperation with relevant ministries, create a safe AI usage environment that can protect youth.”

Minister Won Minkyoung of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said, “The collaborative system established through this agreement will form the basis for realizing an inclusive and sustainable digital society. We will steadily promote improvements to youth protection policies, support for digital competency development, enhanced victim protection using deepfake response technology, and support for career retention of women in science and technology, thereby achieving results that citizens can truly feel.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Gyunghoon remarked, “To address the diverse ethical and social issues that accompany the rapid development and spread of AI and to strengthen citizens’ capabilities, it is necessary for institutions with expertise in AI, youth protection, education, and media to work together on a broad scale. Relevant organizations will act as a one-team, working closely to protect youth from new risks in the AI era and to build a safe and inclusive AI and science & technology ecosystem.”

Chairman Kim Jongcheol of the Broadcasting and Media Communications Commission promised, “We will ensure prompt action against illegal recordings, promote online youth protection, and actively support media education through various online and offline channels to establish a trustworthy media environment.”

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