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South Korea has signed a letter of intent with six U.N. agencies to host a global artificial intelligence (AI) hub in the country, the prime minister's office said Wednesday.
The document was signed in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday by Ryu Je-myung, Second Vice Minister of Science and ICT, on behalf of the South Korean government. Representatives of the International Labor Organization (ILO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed on the U.N. side.
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok attended the ceremony as part of a two-nation tour of the United States and Switzerland to promote Seoul's bid to host the hub. Last week, Kim discussed the initiative with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, UNICEF, and UNDP officials in New York.
Prior to the signing, the Prime Minister met separately with ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo, IOM Director-General Amy Pope, and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to outline Seoul's hosting plan and vision.
"Korea aims to support the Global South and vulnerable populations through global AI cooperation and contribute to improving the universal quality of life for humanity," Prime Minister Kim said during the meetings.
Prime Minister described the hub as a platform built around the vision of "AI for All," encompassing AI technology development, education, the establishment of norms and ethics, and benefit-sharing with people in low- and middle-income countries. He also pledged that South Korea would "actively contribute the funding required for the initial establishment and operation" of the hub.
The three agency chiefs expressed full agreement with South Korea's vision and said they would cooperate closely in future detailed discussions, according to the prime minister's office.
Following the signing, the government and each agency will work closely to establish the hub. Upon returning home, Kim is scheduled to chair an AI Hub Hosting Committee meeting and public briefing around the 24th to present the specific outcomes of his trip and outline future plans.
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