The first digital and artificial intelligence (AI) Ministerial Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), which includes Korea, the United States, China, and Japan, was held in Korea. The adoption of the 'Ministerial Declaration' titled 'Digital and AI Transition for the Prosperity and Sustainable Growth of All' is regarded as the most significant achievement of this meeting.
Minister Bae Kyung-hun of the Ministry of Science and ICT attended the APEC Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting held on the 4th at Songdo Convensia in Incheon as chairman. Despite being the inaugural meeting, representatives from all 21 member countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in the United States, the vice minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in China, and the vice minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in Japan, participated.
Minister Bae presided over the meeting and met with reporters afterward, stating, 'Korea, which first hosted the APEC Telecommunications Ministerial Meeting in May 1995 at the dawn of the internet era, now seeks to initiate cooperative discussions in the fields of AI and digital technologies.' He noted, 'This meeting is significant as it provides a substantial starting point for Korea to lead the APEC region's AI and digital cooperation.'
Regarding the adopted 'Ministerial Declaration,' he stated that it contains the shared vision of the international community to 'resolve common challenges through digital and AI technologies, expand universal and meaningful connectivity, and establish a safe and trustworthy digital ecosystem.' He evaluated that it is particularly meaningful in that it codifies the digital and AI agenda that has been discussed at the working level in APEC into joint principles and cooperation directions at the ministerial level.
The APEC member economies included the content of the technical discussions that began in February and the topic discussions that took place during the Ministerial Meeting in this declaration. Representatives from each country present at the meeting discussed ▲activating ICT, digital, and AI innovation to address challenges ▲enhancing universal and meaningful digital connectivity ▲creating a safe and trust-based digital and AI ecosystem.
Minister Bae noted that although there were parts that were difficult to coordinate due to differences in policy priorities among member economies, the fact that the ministerial declaration achieved consensus among all member economies can be interpreted as a significant signal of the international community's firm commitment to digital and AI cooperation. He added, 'This clearly demonstrates that there is a shared recognition of the urgency of policy cooperation on AI and digital issues for economic growth in the APEC region.'
The establishment of a structural foundation that can regularize high-level consultative bodies through this Ministerial Meeting is also considered an achievement. Minister Bae stated, 'This will be an important opportunity to broaden cooperation channels among member economies, and we will play a central role in promoting AI and digital innovation in collaboration with existing APEC platforms.'
Our country is the host for the upcoming APEC Leaders' Meeting to be held in Gyeongju in October. Minister Bae believes that the meeting will be an important milestone in enhancing the outcomes of the APEC Leaders' Meeting. He stated, 'The Ministerial Declaration, reflecting key themes of this year's summit, including digital innovation and AI cooperation, is expected to contribute to deeper discussions on the core task of 'innovation' and create tangible results.'
The Ministry of Science and ICT is conducting a 'Digital Week' until the 6th in conjunction with this Ministerial Meeting. It is considered a representative event of APEC aimed at promoting innovation and development through digital technologies. This year will see the 71st regular meeting of the APEC Telecommunications Working Group (TELWG) and a series of workshops hosted by various countries, including the United States, China, and Japan.
On the 5th, Minister Bae plans to meet with Michael Kratsios, the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, to discuss cooperation between the two countries regarding investments in AI technology and independent foundation models.
Here is the full text of the 'Ministerial Declaration' adopted at the APEC Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting on that day.
Digital and AI transition for the prosperity and sustainable growth of all
Preface
1. We, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Digital Policy Ministers of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), held a meeting chaired by Minister Bae Kyung-hun of the Ministry of Science and ICT in Incheon, Korea.
2. Under the APEC theme for 2025, 'Creating a sustainable tomorrow together: consolidation, innovation, and prosperity,' we reaffirm our commitment to the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040 to achieve an open, dynamic, resilient, and peaceful Asia-Pacific community by 2040 through the implementation of the Aotearoa Action Plan and the APEC Internet and Digital Economy Roadmap for the prosperity of all and future generations.
3. Today, we witness an unprecedented integration of digital technologies in everyday life and across society. Digital infrastructure and intelligent networks, enabled by technologies such as AI and accessible broadband connectivity, are key drivers of digital transformation and have a significant impact on how businesses operate and how people interact and function.
4. We believe that these digital technologies hold tremendous potential to empower individuals and corporations to enhance efficiency, productivity, and interoperability in various fields and innovate public and private services. While recognizing the potential for digital transformation, we note that technology must be used responsibly to mitigate risks such as safety, trust and reliability, and accessibility while promoting sustainable growth for all and enhancing the well-being of everyone in response to the individual needs of each member economy.
5. Historically, APEC has addressed opportunities and challenges in ICT and digital technologies through policy dialogue and cooperation aimed at promoting growth for all and enhancing global competitiveness in the Asia-Pacific region. We express our support for the theme of the Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting, 'Digital and AI Transition for the Prosperity and Sustainable Growth of All,' which enables APEC member economies to explore an innovation-driven digital future through the participation of all stakeholders.
Activating digital and AI innovation to solve socio-economic challenges
6. We acknowledge that innovative technologies are creating new opportunities to tackle challenges faced by APEC member economies in ways that were previously impossible. Accordingly, we urge the safe and responsible introduction of various technologies, including digital technologies such as ICT and AI, to enhance productivity, promote resilience, and support the advancement of our economies.
7. We encourage member economies to actively seek growth opportunities by leveraging digital technologies such as ICT and AI, with proactive and balanced human-centered approaches to labor market, education, and skills development policies, keeping in mind the benefits and challenges of technology adoption. We support cooperation and information sharing on ICT and digital policies that facilitate regional economic cooperation and smooth international trade and investment. We also encourage cooperation to enhance understanding and utilization of the benefits of ICT and digital technologies for individual member economies.
Strengthening digital connectivity for all
8. We recognize that as ICT and digital technologies become essential components of the economy, universal and meaningful connectivity is more important than ever. In particular, we stress the need to address domestic and international digital gap issues, such as the disparities that hinder individual participation in the digital economy. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of deepening cooperation and capacity-building efforts among member economies to solve the ongoing digital gap through policies that enhance digital capabilities and promote innovation, ensuring that we all can fully participate in and benefit from the digital economy.
9. We believe that connectivity in the APEC region will improve further through the expansion of digital connectivity infrastructure and the adoption of innovative technologies. We also recognize that the enhancement of the adoption and utilization of digital technologies such as ICT and AI relies on the establishment of high-quality and affordable resilient communication infrastructure through cooperation between member economies and the private sector. Acknowledging the continuously increasing demand for data, we recommend implementing appropriate measures to upgrade digital infrastructure to enable member economies to respond to data demand in an energy- and resource-efficient manner, ensuring that everyone can benefit.
Creating a safe, secure, and trustworthy digital and AI ecosystem
10. We recognize that as digital transformation accelerates, safety, security, accessibility, and trustworthiness are essential to realizing the benefits of digitalization for all. We highlight the importance of developing robust policies and risk management strategies that protect corporations, individuals, and workers from various digital threats and enhance trust in the digital and AI ecosystem to ensure that the opportunities presented by modern ICT and digital technologies can be fully leveraged. To this end, we support continuous work among member economies to enhance the trust, safety, and fairness of ICT and AI utilization, as well as to promote the movement of data in digital transactions and strengthen trust among consumers and businesses.
Conclusion
11. We express our gratitude for the significant progress made by the Telecommunications Working Group (TELWG) in discussions on digital transformation, sharing best practices and frameworks among member economies, and addressing the opportunities and challenges in implementing digital technologies. We expect TELWG and the Digital Economy Steering Group (DESG) to continue achieving meaningful results that promote the digital transformation of all APEC member economies, given their key roles in advancing the APEC Internet and Digital Economy Roadmap. We also encourage ongoing collaboration among all relevant APEC forums to discuss how to mitigate associated risks while leveraging the benefits of innovative digital technologies such as ICT and AI.
12. To this end, we recognize the existing efforts of member economies to promote opportunities for economic growth and empowerment during the digital transformation process, including the APEC Connectivity Blueprint (2015-2025), the La Serena Roadmap for Women and Inclusive Growth (2019-2030), the APEC Services Competitiveness Roadmap, the Bangkok Goals on Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy, and the Lima Roadmap (2025-2040) to promote the transition to formal and global economies. We also note the activities of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) in supporting TELWG and DESG.
13. We recognize the need to systematically develop methodologies to continuously advance the AIDER goals beyond 2025, as the APEC Internet and Digital Economy Roadmap (AIDER) implementation work program is set to be completed in 2025, to address emerging challenges and opportunities in the rapidly changing digital environment. We encourage member economies to utilize appropriate digital governance mechanisms to activate discussions that facilitate the achievement of APEC goals and commit to seeking cooperative measures that ensure ICT utilization and digital innovation benefit everyone and every region. In this regard, we highly appreciate the ongoing development of the APEC AI initiative, led by Korea, which is expected to conclude by the end of this year.
14. We express our gratitude to Korea for the successful hosting of this meeting and look forward to the follow-up initiatives from each member economy to support the joint declaration.