SK Telecom published an AI Governance Report on Oct. 26 that contains AI governance principles, an accountability framework and key results.

The report includes management systems and specific execution measures aimed at improving the safety and reliability of AI technology. It also presents management guidelines for AI agents that make decisions and carry out tasks autonomously.

SKT established people-centered "AI pursuit values" in 2021 and disclosed "T.H.E. AI" in March 2024 as its AI governance principles. It has since built management systems to apply those principles to services and workplaces.

It also strengthened an integrated management system linking personal data protection with AI governance. Within a framework led by its chief privacy officer, it uses customer data use and personal data protection as core review standards for AI services.

Along with this, it applies the Privacy by Design principle, which considers personal data protection from the service planning stage, and checks risk factors across the entire AI service lifecycle. It also applies consistent management standards to in-house AI agents by stage, including development, testing, operation and termination.

It has also continued to verify AI trust capabilities through international standard certification. SKT obtained ISO/IEC 42001 certification in 2024 for its customer-facing AI services as the first South Korean telecom carrier to do so. This month, it expanded the scope of certification to cover its management system for in-house AI agents.

SKT plans to use the report to share its AI governance operating experience and results and to advance its management systems in line with changes in the technology and regulatory environment.

Cha Ho-beom (차호범), SKT's chief privacy officer, said the importance of AI governance is growing further in the era of AI agents. He said the company will continue to respond proactively to a changing AI environment and strengthen AI trust management.