"Discussion Needed on Both AI Advancement and Protection of Citizens' Rights to Become a Top 3 AI Power"

AI Powerhouse Realization and Job Protection Forum
Proposal for 'Algorithm Audits' to Monitor AI Systems

"The ability to strike a balance between technological innovation and the protection of labor in the workplace is a critical challenge," he said.

On the afternoon of May 20, Heun-ki Lee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, jointly hosted the "Realizing an AI Powerhouse and Protecting Jobs Discussion" with People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy and the Citizen's Coalition for Economic Justice at Seminar Room 2 of the National Assembly Members' Office Building.

With the rapid advancement of AI, labor environments and job competencies are undergoing transformation. As AI redesigns work processes, existing workers are faced with the burden of reskilling, and the scope of labor environment oversight has expanded from the physical to the digital space.

Scene from the "Realizing an AI Powerhouse and Protecting Jobs Forum" held on the 20th at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Eunseo Lee.

Ohseon Kwon, professor at Yonsei University Law School, addressed the challenges of current labor law under the theme "Major Transition of Labor in the Era of Physical AI." Professor Kwon noted, "AI collects information from daily life 24 hours a day and even profiles emotional states, raising issues of responsibility and transparency." He further pointed out, "There can be physical risks due to robot malfunctions in production processes," and emphasized the need for measures that allow workers to respond collectively.

As a concrete countermeasure, he proposed "algorithm audits" to monitor AI systems. He argued that there must be a system to verify whether the creation and deployment of AI systems meet internal organizational principles and standards, as well as a framework for external risk oversight. In-guk Gye, professor at Korea University Graduate School of Public Policy, said, "Ethics-based audits in various spheres—such as within corporate organizations and civic groups—will serve as a starting point in addressing job protection and human rights issues in the workplace."

With job protection as the goal, government ministries introduced their respective AI policies. Jin-ho Gong, Director of AI Policy Planning at the Ministry of Science and ICT, explained, "While our goal is to become one of the world’s top three AI powers, the ultimate objective is for all citizens to benefit equally from AI." He added, "We are in discussions with the Ministry of Employment and Labor and relevant agencies to prepare policies by thoroughly analyzing the impact of AI on domestic and international jobs, as well as job-related data."

Assemblyman Lee stated, "While the promotion of AI technology and industrial development is essential, issues such as transparency, accountability, safety, worker participation, and support for transition must be discussed in tandem with job protection and the safeguarding of citizens' rights." He added, "Through this discussion, I intend to bring the concerns from the field and experts' recommendations into parliamentary debate."

Meanwhile, there were also arguments for redefining consumer rights as AI becomes integrated into everyday infrastructure technologies. It was suggested that consumers should be viewed as subjects constantly exposed to the influence of AI systems and that a protective framework should be established. Hyunhee Shin, head of the Citizen's Coalition for Economic Justice, added, "It is necessary to establish a system for detailed certification of physical AI safety and to impose explanatory obligations such as providing reasons for decisions, operational logs, and analyses of accident causes in the event of incidents."

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