Officials from 28 countries and international organizations gather in Paris

Forum covers sustainable management, AI governance

Ministry of Economy and Finance says findings to inform public institution policy

Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yun-cheol and Deputy Minister of Education Choi Eun-ok visit a boot camp for training talent in advanced industries at Hanyang University's Fusion Tech Center in Seoul on Saturday, where they observe and try out a robot platform AI model learning demonstration. [Yonhap]
Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yun-cheol and Deputy Minister of Education Choi Eun-ok visit a boot camp for training talent in advanced industries at Hanyang University's Fusion Tech Center in Seoul on Saturday, where they observe and try out a robot platform AI model learning demonstration. [Yonhap]

South Korea and the OECD discussed accountability and ethics standards for public institutions adopting AI, as well as ways to implement sustainable management practices.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance said it hosted the "4th Korea-OECD International Policy Forum on Public Institutions" at OECD headquarters in Paris on Tuesday. The forum brought together the ministry's director general for public policy, South Korea's ambassador to the OECD, the OECD's director of the Corporate Affairs Division, and public institution policy officials from 28 countries and international organizations.

Participants discussed policy experiences and future challenges under three themes: implementing sustainable management at public institutions, AI adoption and corporate governance innovation at state-owned enterprises, and linking public policy goals to performance evaluations of public institutions.

The South Korean delegation said the principles of the revised 2024 OECD Guidelines on Corporate Governance of State-Owned Enterprises must be developed into policies and implementation cases suited to each country's circumstances. It also said solutions must be sought to help public institutions deliver stable public services and sustainable outcomes amid climate change and digital transformation.

The OECD introduced the current state of corporate governance at South Korean state-owned enterprises, drawing on key findings from its forthcoming "State-Owned Enterprises Ownership and Governance 2026" report.

The sustainable management session addressed ways to translate government policy commitments into concrete targets, incentives and monitoring frameworks. The Korea Institute of Public Finance presented guidelines and case studies on spreading ESG — environmental, social and governance — management practices across domestic public institutions.

The AI governance session examined the opportunities and risks of AI adoption, covering data management, cybersecurity, accountability and ethical use. Kim Dong-jin, director of the ministry's Public Innovation Planning Division, introduced the government's role and domestic regulatory regime in building trustworthy AI governance during the digital transition.

The final session focused on how to set and manage public policy goals for state-owned enterprises and incorporate them into performance evaluations. Officials from Spain, Morocco and the IMF shared cases in which they had balanced commercial and non-commercial objectives at state-owned enterprises and adjusted performance indicators accordingly.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance said it would use the discussions and country cases from the forum to inform future public institution policy, and that it would continue sharing policies and cooperating with OECD member states on the management and operation of public institutions.


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