National Elder Council launches to guide Korea’s future in AI

“We have pledged to channel our collective wisdom to build a nation with strong AI capabilities, following in the footsteps of our ancestors who transformed South Korea into a global IT powerhouse,” said Oh Myung, the chairman of Korea National Elder Council, at the 33rd anniversary of the committee and the inauguration ceremony of the Elder Wisdom Center.

“South Korea once lagged behind, missing the early waves of the Industrial Revolution,” Chairman Oh noted. “But during the IT revolution, trailblazers helped elevate our country to become the world’s leading IT nation. Now, we are gathering the pioneers who led that transformation to prepare for the coming AI era.”

A new think tank affiliated with Korea National Elder Council launched on Tuesday with 100 members—including former ministers, vice ministers, university presidents, and scholars—all aged over 70. As the name implies, the council seeks to harness the experience and insights of senior leaders to guide national policy and strategy for the AI age.

Oh Myung, who served as Minister and Vice Minister of the Postal Service Ministry from 1981 to 1988, is known for his foundational role in building Korea’s IT infrastructure. He plans to contribute to the council’s work in creating a robust framework for the AI future. “Korea National Elder Council will be driven by experts across sectors who will conduct research and operate as a task force to advise the government. Our first forum, focused on AI, will be held in February 2024,” he said.


Seong-Mo Kim mo@donga.com