Ministers gather in Seoul for Global AI and Digital Summit with World Bank
In short
Ministers and deputy ministers from about 50 countries met in Seoul on October 19 for the Global AI and Digital Summit, held with the World Bank and running through October 22. On October 20, Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hyeong-il (이형일) said Korea wants to be a partner in developing countries' AI transition and is pursuing a hub for the AI cooperation centres of six multilateral development banks.
Read the full story 2 min read
Ministers and deputy ministers from about 50 countries gathered in Seoul on October 19 for the Global AI and Digital Summit (GADS), Yonhap and Newsis reported. The Ministry of Science and ICT said it is holding the event with the World Bank at the Grand Hyatt in Seoul from October 19 to 22. Newsis, Yonhap and Asia Economy said it is the first World Bank AI and digital summit held outside the United States. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The summit opened on October 19 with a ministerial meeting. Policy forums and a corporate exhibition follow on October 20 and 21, and on October 22 overseas participants take a study tour, including visits to the Korea Water Resources Corporation (한국수자원공사) and Bundang Seoul National University Hospital, according to Newsis and Asia Economy. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Bae Kyung-hoon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT, and Kim Sang-boo, a World Bank vice president, co-chaired the ministerial meeting. Under the theme 'From Ambition to Action', delegates discussed digital inclusion and access, AI in public services and AI and digital ecosystems, and issued a chair's statement on the discussions and future cooperation. Vice Minister Ryu Je-myung (류제명) was to attend a high-level exchange session and dinner and present Korean AI policies including Modu-ui AI (모두의 AI). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Bae said Korea will cooperate actively with the international community so that the benefits of responsible AI reach all humanity. He said he hopes the event will turn Korea's vision of a 'global AI basic society' into action. [ 2 , 3 ]
On October 20, Lee Hyeong-il, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, spoke at the opening. He said Korea went from receiving international aid to giving it and had seen technology change the economy and people's lives, and that it wants to be a partner in developing countries' AI transition. Newsis and Hankook Ilbo reported that he said the government is pursuing a global AI hub that would gather the AI cooperation centres of six multilateral development banks, including the World Bank, in Korea. Newsis said he described the World Bank's Global AI and Digital Knowledge Center, opened last December, as playing a leading role, and said the K-AI package would be used to find projects suited to developing countries. [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]
Newsis and Hankook Ilbo reported that about 900 people from more than 160 countries are attending, the largest scale to date, and described the event as the first outside Washington, D.C. Hankook Ilbo added that Lee met World Bank Group President Ajay Banga on October 19, and the two sides agreed to use Korea's AI experience in cooperation with developing countries and to consider applying its nuclear power experience to those countries' energy supply. [ 11 , 13 ]
Why it matters
Korean outlets present the summit as a way to share Korea's AI and digital policy experience and widen cooperation with developing countries. The proposed hub would bring the AI cooperation centres of six multilateral development banks to Korea, but the documents give no sign yet that it has been agreed.
Key facts
- The Global AI and Digital Summit (GADS) is held at the Grand Hyatt in Seoul from October 19 to 22. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 11 ]
- Yonhap, Newsis and Asia Economy report it is the first World Bank AI and digital summit held outside the United States; Newsis, Hankook Ilbo and Asia Economy also describe it as the first held outside Washington, D.C. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 10 , 11 , 13 ]
- Ministers and deputy ministers from about 50 countries attended the October 19 ministerial meeting, co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Science and ICT Minister Bae Kyung-hoon and World Bank Vice President Kim Sang-boo (김상부). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The ministerial meeting took the theme 'From Ambition to Action' and issued a chair's statement. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- On October 20, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Lee Hyeong-il said Korea is pursuing a global AI hub gathering the AI cooperation centres of six multilateral development banks. [ 11 , 13 ]
- Newsis and Hankook Ilbo report that about 900 people from more than 160 countries are attending, the largest scale to date. [ 11 , 13 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The summit runs October 19 to 22 at the Grand Hyatt in Seoul, opening with a ministerial meeting, followed by policy forums and a corporate exhibition on October 20 and 21 and a study tour on October 22. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Bae Kyung-hoon and World Bank Vice President Kim Sang-boo co-chaired the October 19 meeting, which discussed digital inclusion and access, AI in public services and AI and digital ecosystems, and issued a chair's statement. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Lee Hyeong-il said on October 20 that Korea wants to be a partner in developing countries' AI transition and is pursuing a global AI hub to gather six multilateral development banks' AI cooperation centres in Korea. [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]
Still unclear
- How many countries took part. Yonhap, Newsis and Asia Economy texts say about 50 countries sent ministerial or vice-ministerial delegates, while the Newsis and Yonhap headlines and an Asia Economy photo caption say 60. Newsis and Hankook Ilbo give 160 countries and 900 people for the whole event.
- Who organises the summit. The October 19 reports say the Ministry of Science and ICT holds it with the World Bank; the October 20 reports say the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the World Bank Group hold it.
- What the 'first' refers to. Some outlets say the first World Bank AI and digital summit outside the United States; others say the first annual World Bank Group event outside Washington, D.C.
- Whether the global AI hub will be set up. Lee described it as something the government is pursuing; the documents give no agreement from the banks.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- On October 19, Newsis and Yonhap reported that the ministerial meeting had begun the summit in Seoul. [ 1 , 2 ]
- On October 20, Asia Economy published photos of Lee Hyeong-il speaking at the summit at a Hyatt hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. [ 5 ]
- On October 20, Newsis, Yonhap, Hankook Ilbo and Asia Economy reported Lee's remarks on partnership with developing countries and the global AI hub. [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]