About 200 members of the public to join debate at Yonsei University on Sunday

New paradigm for personal data handling in the AI era to be discussed

[123RF]
[123RF]

As the AI era reshapes daily life, questions about how to protect personal data — and how far it can be used — have grown increasingly urgent. Ordinary citizens and experts are now coming together to search for answers.

The Ministry of Interior and Safety and the Personal Information Protection Commission announced they will co-host the third "Forum for All" on Sunday afternoon at Baekyang Nuri Hall at Yonsei University in Seoul. The forum's theme is "How should personal data be protected and used in the age of AI?"

Cheong Wa Dae AI Future Planning Senior Secretary Lee Hae-min and Listening and Integration Senior Secretary Jeon Seong-hwan will attend. The forum was organized to find a balance between upholding the fundamental principle of personal data protection and enabling the use of personal data in line with diverse services and public-interest needs.

The program will open with expert presentations, followed by small-group discussions among participants and then a floor debate.

Participants will be able to express their views on key issues in real time through mobile on-site voting. The results of a two-week online discussion that drew more than 1,200 participants ahead of the in-person forum will also be shared at the event.

Kim Do-seung, a professor at Jeonbuk National University School of Law and chair of the Personal Information Protection Law Society, will open the presentations by introducing the data-processing environment and the requirements for handling personal data under current law, illustrated with specific cases.

Kim Byung-pil, a professor in the School of Management Engineering at KAIST and head of the personal data processing subcommittee of the AI Privacy Public-Private Council, will then analyze and present the points of conflict between the characteristics of data processing in the AI era and the current regulatory regime.

Building on those presentations, citizen participants will share in small-group discussions the needs and concerns they experience in everyday life around the use of personal data, and collectively explore desirable principles for its use.

The forum is expected to feature in-depth discussion on how personal data should be handled in the AI era.

About 200 members of the public will debate three core issues: exploring the new value that personal data generates in an AI environment; the direction of reform to the personal data regime — including a shift from the existing "prior consent" model to one of "prior notice with the right to opt out at any time"; and the division of roles among businesses, government and citizens in building a trust-based framework.

Vice Minister of Interior and Safety Kim Min-jae said the third "Forum for All" held this year was expected to become "an open platform for communication where the precious experiences and wisdom of the public come together to drive real policy change," adding that the ministry "will always listen carefully to create policies that add convenience to people's lives and will continue to work with the public to think through challenges and find answers."

Personal Information Protection Commission Chair Song Gyeong-hui said the goal of personal data protection policy "is not to prevent all use of personal data, but to enable its safe use so that all citizens can enjoy technological progress with peace of mind," and pledged to "continue listening to public opinion and push forward with reforms to the personal data regime suited to the AI era."


thlee@heraldcorp.com