A law aimed at preventing social and economic discrimination that could arise from advances in AI and digital technology will take effect.

The Ministry of Science and ICT said on Tuesday that the Digital Inclusion Act, aimed at building a digitally inclusive society in which all citizens can benefit evenly from AI and digital technology, will take effect from Jan. 22.

The Digital Inclusion Act was enacted in January last year by integrating the Framework Act on Intelligent Informatization, which set out rules such as capacity-building education and accessibility quality certification, with 3 bills aimed at digital inclusion.

With the law taking effect, the government must draw up and implement a basic digital inclusion plan every 3 years and an annual implementation plan. It must also allow the private sector to take part in shaping and executing digital inclusion policies. The ministry will specify this year’s direction for the basic plan and set up channels to gather a range of opinions.

Through a digital inclusion impact assessment system, it will check the potential for discrimination against and gaps affecting vulnerable digital groups that could occur in the public sector. The assessment is divided into a self-assessment conducted in advance when the central government, local governments and public institutions newly introduce intelligent information services and products or 추진 major plans and projects, and an individual assessment conducted by the science minister when necessary for policies and projects closely related to digital inclusion.

The enforcement decree stipulates that the ministry is to set and notify guidelines on criteria and methods for selecting targets for self-assessments. The ministry will draw up detailed operating measures, through consultations with relevant ministries, to raise the system’s effectiveness.

It will rationally improve the current verification system for intelligent information products eligible for priority purchase. Until now, a verification certificate could be issued only when all verification standards under the Framework Act on Intelligent Informatization were met. Under the changes, when a specific function is clearly unnecessary, an exception will be recognised through an individual application so that verification can be granted even without meeting the relevant standard.

New measures to provide ease of use will also take effect at the manufacturing and leasing stages for unmanned information terminals. Existing related laws imposed obligations only on installers and operators of unmanned information terminals, or providers of goods and services.

Reflecting the reality that most stores such as restaurants and cafes buy or lease off-the-shelf products, the Digital Inclusion Act stipulates that manufacturers and lessors will also share certain obligations. Manufacturers must produce unmanned information terminals that support measures taken by installers and operators, and lessors cannot refuse a request to lease such products without a legitimate reason.

Grace periods and phased deferrals will also apply to manufacturers’ and lessors’ obligations. Small and medium-sized companies must comply from July 22, 6 months after the law takes effect. Small companies and small business owners must comply from Jan. 22 next year, 1 year after. In addition, large companies and mid-sized companies will have a 3-month guidance period until April 22 to encourage compliance without corrective orders or fines, so they can recognise and prepare for the measures.

Separately, a 1-year guidance period through March 27 this year, granted to the measures to improve information access and ease of use for installers and operators of unmanned information terminals introduced by amendments to the Framework Act on Intelligent Informatization and its enforcement decree on March 27 last year, will still apply after the Digital Inclusion Act takes effect.

The ministry will also check the effects of digital inclusion policies through regular and occasional surveys. It will build a comprehensive information system to foster digital capabilities that can be used for skills training. It will also work to build a virtuous-cycle structure linking standardisation and the discovery of promising technologies and services to research and development, commercialisation and overseas expansion.

Lee Do-gyu (이도규), director general for ICT policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, "The ministry will do its best to resolve social and economic inequality arising from technological development and to build a digitally inclusive society that achieves a balance between technological innovation and social integration."