AmCham hosts policy gathering with privacy watchdog

American Chamber of Commerce Chairman and CEO James Kim (fifth from left), Chairperson of the Personal Information Protection Commission Ko Hak-soo (sixth from left) and industry officials pose for a photo after AmCham's policy talks held at the Four Seasons Seoul on Thursday. (AmCham)

The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea announced Thursday that it had hosted a policy gathering with Ko Hak-soo, chairperson of the Personal Information Protection Commission, to explore strategies for privacy protection in the era of artificial intelligence.

For a second consecutive year, Ko met with an AmCham delegation of global companies to discuss the commission’s strategic responses to AI technologies.

Highlighting the PIPC’s policy agenda, aimed at fostering an AI era that enriches people's lives and secures personal information, Ko emphasized the importance of addressing regulatory uncertainties and tackling emerging privacy challenges due to digital transformations.

He then outlined the commission's aim to create a reliable AI ecosystem, promote data portability and establish a system that safeguards data.

In the same vein, AmCham Chairman and CEO James Kim emphasized that robust data security measures are essential for fostering trust in Korea’s digital ecosystem.

"The PIPC's unwavering commitment to data protection has been crucial in promoting trust and confidence in Korea's digital ecosystem," he said.

Meanwhile, Ko announced plans to develop six AI guidelines by year-end, aligned with the Personal Information Protection Act. These guidelines are intended to address data pseudonymization, reference datasets for synthetic data and safety measures for protecting personal data.

He also encouraged the use of initiatives that ease conditions for using personal data and exempt certain emerging technologies from administrative obligations, respectively.

Looking ahead, the PIPC aims to facilitate discussions on international personal information standards, seeking alignment across global norms. This includes active engagement in the UN AI advisory body and the Global Privacy Assembly AI Working Group, also with plans to host international conferences on AI privacy.

By Kim Jun-hong(hongie@heraldcorp.com)