The Korea Research Foundation said on Thursday it has obtained an "AI ethics compliance" verification mark issued by the National Information Society Agency (NIA), the first such recognition for a research management specialist organisation.

The AI ethics compliance verification mark is a system under which NIA issues the mark to institutions that meet set requirements, to encourage ethical development and use of AI and to strengthen institutional accountability. The scope of eligible recipients has been expanded to include the public sector from this year.

To obtain the mark, the foundation shared AI ethics principles across the organisation and established an internal system so employees consider ethical responsibility when using AI at work. It also conducted AI ethics training for all employees. Along with online training, it held a special lecture by invited experts on "risk management for the safe use of generative AI."

It is also broadening the scope of AI ethics practice. The foundation published in June a "generative AI research ethics guide for university researchers." It said the aim is to prevent research ethics issues that could arise from the use of generative AI throughout the research process and to support researchers in conducting responsible research.

It is also promoting an AI transformation across R&D management work. In March it launched an "NRF Artificial Intelligence Committee" reporting directly to the chair, and is introducing AI services across the full cycle of R&D management, including an R&D rules chatbot, reviews of the appropriateness of evaluation opinions and automatic replies on a smart bulletin board.

Hong Won-hwa (홍원화), chair of the Korea Research Foundation, said, "The success or failure of using AI technology depends on trust and ethics." He added, "As the first AI ethics compliance institution among research management specialist organisations, we will support national R&D innovation so that universities and research sites can use AI with peace of mind."