A forum opened to assess the light and shadow of artificial intelligence (AI) and seek solutions to overcome side effects such as social polarization and human alienation.
The Digital Inclusion Journalists Forum said on the 24th it held a large-scale policy seminar at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, in partnership with lawmaker Lee Hoon-gi's office of the Democratic Party of Korea, under the theme "The AI era, the coexistence of technological innovation and human dignity."
This forum is a research group centered on incumbent journalists who joined forces in early 2025 to monitor and critique the direction of digital and AI technology development. The event was organized to bring to the fore the human-centered values that are gradually losing ground amid the rapid spread of AI.
At the discussion, the core concerns of the monograph "AI Human Code," compiled and published by 11 incumbent journalists belonging to the forum based on a year of in-depth reporting, were examined in depth. Participants warned of the severity of the "AID divide (AI+Digital Divide)," a highly advanced form of compound inequality that goes beyond gaps in information and communications technology, and urged the swift enactment of legislation such as the Digital Inclusion Act and the AI Basic Act to address it.
Forum head Cho Chang-won (editorial writer, Financial News), in opening remarks, said, "When the gravity of technological efficiency pulls the world toward exclusion, someone must coolly examine that direction," adding, "I hope this venue becomes a stepping stone to consolidate into policy the hope that dignity is restored only when technology includes humans."
In the first session, held under the theme "human in the loop (human-centered control)," Cho directly moderated a discussion on the alienation caused by technology and the ethical bulwark to prevent it. Hong Hee-kyung, editorial writer at The Seoul Shinmun, and Kim Hye-young, reporter at Pyeonghwa Broadcasting, gave presentations titled "the exclusivity of technological development" and "systemic safeguards," respectively. Then Yoon Chang-soo, senior reporter at The Seoul Shinmun, and Joo Jin, deputy managing editor at Hans Economy, proposed ways to implement foreign aid and environmental, social and governance (ESG) through AI, and Shim Jae-woong, professor at Sookmyung Women's University, addressed the tasks facing the digital society from a public administration perspective.
The second session, "field-driven tailored policy proposals for coexistence with AI," was moderated by Kim Ah-reum, reporter at E-Daily, to discuss practical ways to close gaps. Starting with "seven literacy questions" by Nam Mi-kyung, international news editor at Asia Today, concrete solutions were presented, including ▲ AI coping methods for seniors (Hong Hee-kyung, editorial writer at The Seoul Shinmun) ▲ a technological revolution for people with disabilities (Kim Dae-hee, reporter at OBS) ▲ the temperature of digital inclusion (Lee Chung-jae, politics editor at Asia Today) ▲ Smart City guidelines with human warmth (Noh Hee-sook, Head of Team at the Seoul AI Foundation Donghaeng Plaza).