The government will ease regulations that block global competitiveness in new industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous driving, and robots. A representative step is lifting data-use restrictions that had been blocked by the Personal Information Protection Act so that corporations can use data freely.
The government said it held the First core regulation rationalization strategy meeting on the 15th at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) in Seongbuk District, Seoul, chaired by President Lee Jae-myung, with more than 80 attendees including related ministry Ministers, corporate officials, and private-sector experts.
The meeting was arranged out of the recognition that, to respond to structural challenges in the Korean economy and make a new leap in future core businesses, rationalizing regulations is urgent along with efficient use of human resources and expanded investment.
◇Easing regulations on AI data use
First, in AI, the government will improve the data-use environment essential for the development of generative AI. On the ground, the rise of generative AI has heightened the importance of broad data collection and use, but ambiguous legal standards have restricted the use of copyrighted works data. In addition, information asymmetry between demand and supply sides has caused difficulties in copyright transactions.
By November, the government will prepare guidelines for fair use of copyrighted works and push to revise related laws. To spur authors' free transactions, it will also establish reasonable transaction and compensation frameworks within this year.
Use of public data will also be greatly expanded. Currently, exceptions exist for providing public data, and due to concerns about liability stemming from the possibility of reidentifying pseudonymized personal information, data has been disclosed passively. In addition, when pseudonymous information is provided, excessive pseudonymization has reduced the value of data use, and a lack of incentives for institutions outside the executive branch—such as courts to provide judgments—has been cited among the many difficulties in using public data.
To address this, the government will prepare public officials indemnity guidelines to create conditions for actively providing public data, and it will establish an innovation plan for the operation of the pseudonymous information system in September to promote reasonable use of pseudonymous information. It will also push for the prompt opening of all public-institution data, including judgments and public works.
◇Easing regulations on autonomous driving… allowing the use of raw data and expanding testbed areas
In autonomous driving, the use of raw video data will be allowed for core technology development. The industry has needed raw pedestrian footage to develop autonomous driving technology, but because the Personal Information Protection Act requires de-identifying personal information such as faces, the likelihood of AI errors has increased.
Accordingly, the government plans to push within the year to introduce special provisions on the use of raw video into related laws and regulations, including the Personal Information Protection Act and the Autonomous Vehicles Act.
Testbed areas for pilot autonomous driving will also be greatly expanded. Currently, demonstration operations of autonomous vehicles are being conducted in 47 pilot zones, but because they are operated mainly in small zones and along routes, and only manual mode is allowed in protected zones for transportation-vulnerable people, there have been difficulties in securing sufficient demonstration data compared with leading countries such as the United States and China.
To address this, the government will expand demonstration areas from routes and zones to entire cities and will push within the year a plan to allow local governments to swiftly designate pilot zones ex officio. In addition, to encourage industry participation, it will expand support and swiftly push to establish a data center specialized for autonomous driving. The government plans to announce in October measures to enhance the competitiveness of the autonomous driving industry that include these steps.
◇Expanding the introduction of robots into daily life and industrial sites
Finally, the government will redesign regulations on AI robots to accelerate their use in daily life and industrial sites. Private experts noted that while the domestic and overseas robot industries are growing noticeably, existing industrial standards and regulations are designed around traditional technologies and humans, creating many constraints on commercializing new technologies using robots.
To kick-start industries that use robots in various fields such as parking and construction, the government decided to comprehensively overhaul outdated regulations. It also plans to revamp safety standards so it can more closely review robot safety and the potential to replace human labor.
In addition, the government will greatly strengthen the system for pushing regulatory rationalization. It will elevate the chair of the Regulatory Reform Committee to the President and double the number of private-sector Commissioners.