- High-level officials of the member economies, such as Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy from the U.S., take part, furthering regional cooperation in the Asia-Pacific
- Ministers adopt a declaration that sets out a shared vision for AI and digital cooperation focused on innovation, connectivity and safety
The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT, Minister Bae Kyunghoon) announced that it convened the first-ever APEC Digital & AI Ministerial Meeting (DMM) on Monday, August 4, 2025, at Songdo ConvensiA in Incheon, with Minister Bae presiding as chair.
APEC, the world’s largest regional economic forum, brings together 21 member economies across the Asia-Pacific. This was the first ministerial meeting dedicated to AI and digital transformation within APEC, making it a landmark event. Despite being inaugural, the DMM drew strong participation from all member economies, such as Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy of the U.S., Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry and IT of China, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan, underscoring the region’s keen interest in—and commitment to—deeper AI and digital cooperation.
In line with the theme of the 2025 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) —“Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Prosper”—MSIT set “Digital and AI Transformation toward Prosperity and Sustainable Growth for all” as the topic for the DMM and organized discussions around three sessions: innovation, connectivity and safety.
Session 1: Facilitating Digital and AI Innovation to Address Challenges
During the first session, participants discussed how emerging digital technologies—particularly artificial intelligence—can be harnessed to raise economic productivity and efficiency and address social challenges. They also stressed the importance of sharing AI and digital policy and best innovation practices and facilitating international cooperation.
Session 2: Enhancing Universal and Meaningful Digital Connectivity
In the second session, participants examined how all people across the APEC region can benefit from digital transformation through improved connectivity, stressing the need to close the digital divide, strengthen digital skills, and step up investment in AI-enabled cloud services and next-generation communications infrastructure.
Session 3: Creating a Safe and Trustworthy Digital and AI Ecosystem
Finally, participants focused on countering AI-driven threats—such as deepfakes and disinformation—and agreed that international cooperation is essential for easing these threats and building a secure, reliable digital ecosystem.
Drawing together the outcomes of the working-level officials’ discussions held since this February and debates at the ministerial meeting, the meeting participants adopted a Ministerial Declaration that sets forth a common vision of APEC for AI and digital cooperation. The declaration holds a significance as leading economies, such as the U.S. and China, agreed upon AI policy directions amid fierce competition to take the lead in the global AI race. The declaration will serve as a guideline for future AI and digital cooperation among APEC member economies.
Ahead of the DMM, MSIT has been hosting “Digital Week” from July 28 to August 6. Centred on the 71st meeting of the APEC Telecommunications and Information Working Group (TELWG), Digital Week features private-sector dialogues and workshops led by the U.S., China, Japan, and other member economies, fostering in-depth discussion and cooperation on AI and digital technology.
During the Digital Week, MSIT led key workshops on broadband, AI, and spectrum policies, taking the initiative in shaping AI and digital policy discussions. At the “Inclusive Broadband Infrastructure and Service Deployment in Underserved Areas” workshop, MSIT engaged in discussions with ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), KT, and academic and industry experts on strategies to close the digital divide through inclusive broadband access. The “Promoting AI Utilization in the APEC Region” workshop featured participation from private-sector leaders such as KT, Microsoft, Mediark, Dot, and SCE Korea, who shared real-world applications and expansion strategies of AI across various industries. In the “Future of Spectrum Policy in the Age of AI” workshop, MSIT presented Korea’s key policy and regulatory improvement best practices aimed at enhancing the ICT industry and spectrum safety through satellite communications, wireless charging, and Eum 5G. The workshop also served as a platform to exchange views on the latest technological trends and explore pathways for global cooperation.
To amplify the meeting’s key messages and reinforce public–private partnerships, MSIT will co-host a Global Digital & AI Forum with the World Bank on Tuesday, August 5, at the Sheraton Grand Incheon. An industry exhibition featuring leading domestic and international AI and digital companies will run in parallel, providing a platform for sharing innovative technologies and ideas.
Minister Bae Kyunghoon said, “How we respond to the new wave of digital technology and AI will determine our collective future. I hope this first Digital & AI Ministerial Meeting becomes a milestone on our journey toward ‘AI for all.’”
For further information, please contact the Public Relations Division (Phone: +82-44-202-4034, E-mail: msitmedia@korea.kr) of the Ministry of Science and ICT.
※ Please refer to the attached PDF.