Increasingly diverse AI systems are being rapidly implemented across various sectors of society. As a result, several issues are emerging, including AI systems’ instability, opacity, bias, and misuse for surveillance purposes.
In South Korea, civil society has raised various concerns surrounding AI systems. These include hate speech and privacy violations by the AI chatbot “Lee Ruda”; the Incheon Airport Immigration Control System Upgrade Project that provided facial recognition data to AI developers without data subjects’ consent; AI recruitment systems being implemented in public institutions without proper risk and performance assessments; and the Ministry of Education’s forceful pursuit of AI digital textbooks without adequate preparation.
However, additional research is needed on what types of AI systems are being introduced across Korean society and under what procedures and policies. This report serves this purpose. It analyses the standards for AI regulation, implementation status, and actual or potential problems in key areas including public administration, law enforcement, education and social welfare.
Additionally, this report summarises the key contents of the AI Framework Act passed by the National Assembly on 26 December 2024, the civil society’s response process, and its shortcomings. Although the AI Framework Act is quite inadequate, the proposals made by civil society during its enactment process will serve as a foundation for future improvements to the act.
AI systems are being implemented across all sectors of society and will therefore impact the human rights and safety of all citizens. The Korean Progressive Network Jinbonet and the Institute for Digital Rights will continue to analyse the implementation status and problems of AI systems from the perspective of those “affected” by these technologies.
Download the full report here.
This issue report was produced with the support of a member grant from the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), made possible with the support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).