[DigitalToday reporter Jin-ho Lee] The National Information Society Agency (NIA) on Wednesday held an open seminar to discuss legal and institutional response tasks for AI in healthcare, education and labour.

The seminar, held at the Seoul Central Post Office, was organised as part of the Intelligent Information Society Legal and Institutional Forum run by the NIA with legal circles and experts from industry, academia and research. It was co-hosted by the Korean Artificial Intelligence Law Association, the Personal Information Protection Law Association and the office of Democratic Party lawmaker Hwang Jeong-a (황정아).

Participants examined the impact of AI on people's lives, rights and opportunities in an AI basic society, looking at healthcare, education and labour by sector, and discussed directions for improving laws and institutions.

Choi Kyung-jin (최경진), president of the Korean Artificial Intelligence Law Association, and Kim Do-seung (김도승), president of the Personal Information Protection Law Association, stressed the need for a legal and institutional foundation that protects human dignity and fundamental rights so that all people can enjoy AI benefits fairly and safely.

Hwang said in congratulatory remarks, "I hope this seminar becomes an important starting point for responsibly preparing for the AI era." She added, "I will faithfully reflect the voices of experts and those in the field in policy and legislation."

Kim Jong-cheol (김종철), chair of the Broadcasting Media and Communications Commission, gave a keynote lecture titled "Suggestions on directions for an AI basic society and strengthening popular sovereignty". He presented policy and legal and institutional directions to strengthen people's rights and sovereignty in the process of using and expanding AI.

In the healthcare session, Baek Kyung-hee (백경희), a professor at Inha University Law School, presented on innovation in medical AI, protecting patients' rights and ways to allocate responsibilities among related parties. In the education session, Lee Min-seok (이민석), a professor at Kookmin University College of Software Convergence, presented on changes in the educational environment from the spread of AI and the roles of schools and teachers.

In the labour session, Kwon Oh-sung (권오성), a professor at Yonsei University Law School, presented on changes in employment structure and the labour environment from the AI transition and issues under labour law. Participants then sought ways to address gaps in the labour market and to ensure workers' rights and social safety nets.

The NIA AI Legal and Institutional Center has operated the Intelligent Information Society Legal and Institutional Forum since 2019 and has identified and studied legal and institutional issues in the intelligent information society, including AI.

The NIA plans to continue analysing changes in the intelligent information society with legal circles and experts from industry, academia and research, and to share key research results through the forum and open seminars.

In opening remarks, Kim Hyeong-cheol (김형철), head of the NIA, said legal systems and social trust are important for technological progress to reach people's lives. He added that the agency will continue legal and institutional research and provide a forum for public discussion to realise a human-centred AI basic society as a bridge linking technology, policy and the field.