President Lee Jae Myung on Nov. 22 speaks at the first session of the G20 summit of rich and developing economies in South Africa at Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg. (Office of the President)
By Park Hye Ri
President Lee Jae Myung on Nov. 23 in South Africa said at the G20 summit of rich and developing economies that the development of artificial intelligence (AI) must offer "equal opportunities to all countries and all people."
He stressed chances for the fair use of AI and core minerals at the event's third session under the theme "A Fair and Just Future for All" at Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg.
In his speech, President Lee welcomed the G20's announcement of the AI for Africa initiative, saying, "Korea will also actively cooperate with the international community to achieve a 'basic society of global AI' in which all of humanity equally enjoy the benefits of AI."
He mentioned the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) AI Initiative announced at the APEC summit last month in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, adding, "I will strive to expand (this initiative) beyond the Asia-Pacific region to the whole world."
Turning to core minerals, President Lee said, "We need to build a stable and mutually beneficial supply chain for core minerals from which mineral-producing countries and demand-side states share the benefits," adding, "As the chair country of the Minerals Security Partnership, the Republic of Korea will actively expand mutually beneficial projects in mineral cooperation that meet the demands of mineral supplying countries and those that demand them."
President Lee also said AI innovation and the higher resilience of core mineral supply chains must lead to the creation of inclusive opportunities.
"Korea is launching the AI Digital Learning Center to guarantee opportunities to access AI for vulnerable groups and expand AI and software education customized for youth," he said. "We've supported math and science education for teenage girls in Ghana and Tanzania and established software-centric high schools in Rwanda, and we will keep actively supporting the digital empowerment of African women and youth."
President Lee also announced Korea's hosting of the G20 summit in 2028.
"As we co-designed the G20, a compass for the international community in times of crisis, Korea will again assume the G20 presidency in 2028 on the 20th anniversary of the summit's launch," he said. "With a deep sense of responsibility, we will faithfully fulfill our given role to further solidify the G20's standing as the premier forum for global economic cooperation."
Earlier on the morning of Nov. 22, President Lee at the first session of the G20 summit warned of worsening disparities and imbalance amid the complex crisis in the global economy and proposed three solutions.
At the second session in the afternoon, he urged the world to keep strengthening efforts to respond to the climate crisis and reaffirmed Seoul's role in the international response to climate change.
hrhr@korea.kr