[Unofficial Translation]

Excellencies, distinguished leaders of the AI industry pioneering the new era of AI, ladies and gentlemen,

At the AI Safety Summit held at the Bletchley Park in November last year, we engaged in discussions on AI safety.

It is indeed my great pleasure to host the AI Seoul Summit today to expand the scope of our discussion to include AI innovation and inclusivity.

The advent of generative AI has advanced the AI technology at an unprecedented rate, and it is expected to have a profound impact on human society.

With the growing influence of AI, there are also growing concerns over potential risks and negative impacts of AI, including deepening digital divide and the spread of fake news using deepfake content.

In order to keep up with the rapid-changing digital environment brought by AI, I underscored the need for new digital norms at the UN General Assembly, New York University, and at Sorbonne University.

In September last year, the Korean government announced the ‘Digital Bill of Rights’ suggesting five principles: freedom, fairness, safety, innovation, and solidarity.

Since the digital space is hyper-connected and transcends national borders, we need to work on establishing digital norms at the global level.

The first UN General Assembly Resolution on AI, and the Hiroshima AI Process announced at the G7 Summit last year to provide guidelines on safe AI development are part of such efforts.

The AI Seoul Summit will serve as an opportunity to bring our collective efforts together and to make progress in forming AI norms and governance on a global scale.

First, we must ensure AI safety to minimize potential negative impacts of AI and protect the well-being of the society and preserve democracy.

In this regard, I welcome the leading role of the United Kingdom and the United States in enhancing AI safety through the establishment of AI Safety Institutes.

The Republic of Korea also plans to launch an AI Safety Institute which will function as a node of the global network, connecting our joint efforts to strengthen AI safety.

Second, to unleash the great potential of AI, we must innovate AI technology through free and open research and development.

Innovation will provide new growth engine for the global economy and greatly contribute to addressing global challenges such as climate and environmental crisis.

Last but not least, it is also important to ensure the inclusivity of AI so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of AI regardless of where they live and how much they earn.

AI inclusivity is crucial to ensure the sustainability of the advancement AI technology, which will let the benefits of innovation pass on to future generations.

As a responsible member of the international community, the Republic of Korea will pursue the safety, innovation and inclusivity of AI in a harmonious manner.

I would like to once again express my gratitude to Prime Minister Sunak for co-hosting the event. I also thank the leaders of governments, international organizations and companies for their contribution.

Hoping that the AI Seoul Summit will serve as a stepping stone for global solidarity, I look forward to your insightful and foresighted comments today. Thank you.