Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) has begun full-fledged research and development (R&D) to establish a foundation for the safe use of personal information in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). It plans to promote technologies to curb deepfakes and develop privacy-by-design standards to strengthen both personal information protection and AI competitiveness.
KISA on the 29th held the "2026 personal information research and development (R&D) new project kickoff briefing" at the Lotte Tower conference hall in Seoul and unveiled the new research and development projects it will pursue this year.
With the spread of AI, data use is growing significantly, but concerns about personal information leaks and misuse are also rising, leading to the judgment that developing technologies that can be used while safely protecting personal information is becoming more important.
This year, KISA will pursue a total of 11 new research and development projects across three areas: ▲ development of leading technologies for the safe use of personal information ▲ development of global personal information protection standards ▲ training of professionals in personal information protection and use.
Key tasks include developing AI-based deepfake suppression technology and creating privacy-by-design standards suited for the AI era. The goal is to establish both the technological and institutional foundations for the safe use of personal information.
At the kickoff briefing, research institutions that signed research and development agreements in April attended to share project-specific research goals, implementation strategies, and year-by-year execution plans, and discussed inter-institutional cooperation measures. Guidance was also provided for smooth project execution, including research and development expense management rules and procedures for amending agreements.
KISA plans to continuously check the progress of each project and support collaboration among research institutions to produce tangible research outcomes in the field of personal information protection and use.
KISA President Lee Sang-jung said, "To secure national competitiveness in the AI era, it is essential to create an environment where the public can entrust their data with confidence," adding, "We will establish a trust-based foundation where protection and use of personal information are balanced, contributing to strengthening national AI competitiveness."