Anchor: South Korea has put into effect its AI Basic Act, comprehensive legislation that aims to foster the development of artificial intelligence and build confidence in the technology. For example, any content or work created using AI will require an “AI Content” watermark. And although South Korea is not the first country in the world to introduce such legislation, it is the first to implement it fully.
Our Choi You Sun explains.

Report: One of the key features of the AI Basic Act is the corporate requirement to provide human oversight in areas considered “high impact.” 

Those include nuclear safety, transportation, health care, finance, and the production of drinking water.

Effective as of Thursday in South Korea, the comprehensive set of regulations also mandates AI service providers like Google and OpenAI to add clear acknowledgment of the use of artificial intelligence in their products. 

Regulations are more strictly applied when AI images or clips, especially deepfake products, are exported out of the service platforms, requiring visible or audible watermarks in the content.

On the other hand, people who use AI technology as a tool for routine tasks or creative work are not subject to regulation under the act.  

Accordingly, production companies that use AI to create films or other content will not be subject to the disclosure obligation, as they are not the businesses directly providing the AI ​​products.

Despite concerns among industry insiders about ambiguity and vagueness in the legal framework, penalties for failing to comply with the regulations could result in a fine of up to 30 million South Korean won, or over 20 thousand dollars. 

The government has however decided to defer enforcement for at least one year amid concerns about its impact on the emerging AI industry.

In the world's first implementation of which it calls a comprehensive set of AI regulations, the South Korean Ministry of Science and ICT said the new rules are designed to promote the adoption of the emerging technology and establish a foundation for safety and trust.

Starting next month, the government plans to form a research team to seek ways to improve the system along with representatives of the industry, civic groups and academia.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.