The Ministry of Science and ICT on Aug. 24 announced the designation of seven ethical principles of artificial intelligence three days before at a meeting of science and technology-related ministers. (iClick) *This photo is protected under copyright law and unauthorized reproduction and redistribution are strictly prohibited.

By Oh Jung Eun

The Ministry of Science and ICT has designated seven ethical principles for the safe and trustworthy use of artificial intelligence (AI).

The ministry on Aug. 24 said it reviewed and approved the guidelines three days prior at a meeting of science and technology-related ministers.

The principles identified three core values to be pursued in the era of AI: human dignity, common good of society and sustainability of humanity.

To achieve these goals, the seven principles are human-centeredness, privacy protection, fairness and inclusiveness, accountability, safety, reliability and transparency.

The ministry also stressed that all stakeholders in the country like users, the government and society as well as AI developers and providers must observe these principles.

The principles were designated to reflect the growing importance of securing AI safety and reliability amid the rapid advancement of the technology and its growing use in daily life, along with rising social concerns over AI.

The ministry will develop and distribute guides based on case studies, sector-specific self-checklists and ethics training materials tailored to target groups.

"Speeding up AI innovation and creating a safe and trustworthy AI environment are not conflicting goals," Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyunghoon said. "We will ensure that ethical principles serve as practical standards that boost public trust in AI and lead its responsible development, use and the widespread sharing of its benefits."

cloveroh@korea.kr