KISDI Holds ICT Policy Forum on “Norms for the AI Era (II)” on December 18 (detail)

※ URL(Korean): https://www.kisdi.re.kr/bbs/view.do?bbsSn=114811&key=m2101113055776&pageIndex=1&sc=&sw=

Event: KISDI ICT Policy Forum, “Norms for the AI Era (II)”
Date and Time: December 18, 2025 (Thu), 09:00–13:30
Venue: Grand Hall, Walkerhill, Seoul
Online Streaming and Replay: KISDI YouTube (www.youtube.com/@KISDIPR)

The Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI, President Sangkyu Rhee) held the 74th KISDI ICT Policy Forum on December 18 at the Grand Hall of the Walkerhill in Seoul.

The forum marked the second event in the series following the KISDI 40th Anniversary Conference held in June under the theme “Norms for the AI Era.” It discussed key policy and social issues arising in the accelerating AI era. Topics included AI technological sovereignty and national competitiveness, social agendas for inclusion and coexistence, productivity effects of generative AI, regional balanced development strategies based on AI readiness, determinants of generative AI adoption, and policy issues related to development-first versus regulation-first approaches.

In his welcome remarks, President Sangkyu Rhee stated that advances in AI provide new opportunities for national and social development while also creating new sources of competition and conflict. He expressed hope that AI-related research outcomes produced by KISDI in 2025 would contribute to further research and policy discussions.

In the thematic presentation session, Lee Kyung-sun (Fellow, KISDI) presented on AI technological sovereignty and national competitiveness. She emphasized that differentiated strategies are required across AI technology domains. In particular, she noted that in semiconductor and system software fields, short-term efforts should focus on strengthening AI model competitiveness, while mid- to long-term strategies should expand into core technologies and strengthen supply chain risk management.

Ahram MOON (Fellow, KISDI) presented on social agendas for coexistence and inclusion in the AI era. She examined mechanisms of inequality arising from AI across five domains—labor, public administration, users, the information ecosystem, and regions—and reframed them as key policy questions. She emphasized that inclusion depends on how society addresses issues such as cost-sharing in labor transitions, accountability gaps in AI-enabled administration, and restoring trust in the information ecosystem.

Daehong Min (Fellow, KISDI) presented an experimental analysis of productivity gains from generative AI. The study examined how tools such as ChatGPT improve productivity by reducing inefficiencies associated with division of labor, including information loss and interpretation errors during task coordination.

Eutteum Lee (Associate Fellow, KISDI) presented on regional balanced development strategies based on AI readiness. She identified key industries with strong AI linkages and high productivity potential, assessed whether regions with industry concentrations possess sufficient AI development and utilization capacity, and emphasized the need for policy intervention to address market failures and reduce regional disparities. She noted that regions with comparative advantages in ICT and professional services generally show high AI readiness, while those specializing in advanced manufacturing, finance, and healthcare tend to show lower readiness, highlighting the need for differentiated strategies.

Sung-Hee JOO (Fellow, KISDI) presented an exploratory study on determinants of generative AI adoption. The study examined patterns of use and reasons for discontinuation and suggested policy implications including the development of usage guidelines, subscription support measures, and dissemination of case-based evidence on practical outcomes.

Kim Jeong-yoo (Kyung Hee University), who participated in joint research with KISDI, presented on development-first versus regulation-first approaches to AI governance. Focusing on technological limitations and risks of misuse, he compared responsibility frameworks and suggested that ex ante regulation can support both safety and innovation without hindering industrial development.

The forum concluded with a panel discussion chaired by Kim Hyung-chan (SK Institute for Management & Economics; adjunct professor, Soongsil University). Panelists included Oh Jang-min (Sungshin Women’s University), Kang Jung-han (Yonsei University), Kim Jeong-yeol (KDI School of Public Policy and Management), Kim Dong-young (Kookmin University), Kim Jeong-hwan (Korea University), and a KISDI associate fellow, who discussed key issues from multiple perspectives.

KISDI News

KISDI Holds ICT Policy Forum on “Norms for the AI Era (II)” on December 18