Interior ministry opens 200 seats for public debate on AI and personal data

The interior ministry said it will recruit 200 members of the public for a Nov. 1 forum on how South Korea should balance the protection and use of personal data in the age of artificial intelligence.

Applications run through Oct. 11 through the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's website or the government's online public engagement channel, Tonghap Hyeoksin 24. The session, the third in the ministry's "Everyone's Debate" series, will be held at Yonsei University's Baekyang Nuri hall in Seoul under the theme "How should we protect and use personal data in the AI era?"

Experts will open with presentations on the main issues and the current state of AI and personal data use. Participants will then break into small groups to share the practical benefits and the worries that come with data-driven services, before the whole room compares conclusions on what principles and rules should govern the field.

Public interest in the question has grown as AI services spread and personalised offerings multiply. Attention has focused on whether personal data is safely protected while AI systems are trained and operated, and on whether users can see enough about how their own information is being used.

The commission is pursuing a revision of personal data rules suited to the changed data environment. It collected public proposals through August and plans to publish a policy direction later this year reflecting the main submissions. Organisers describe the November forum as part of that effort.

Ahead of the in-person session, anyone can submit views online through Tonghap Hyeoksin 24 on how personal data should be protected and used, and those contributions will be shared at the forum. Those selected to attend will study preparatory materials before taking part.