TLDR: On September 30, 2025, Ko Hak-su, Chairperson of South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC), emphasized the critical need for a responsible AI data ecosystem to safeguard personal privacy amidst rapid AI innovation. Speaking at the 5th Personal Information Protection Day ceremony, Ko highlighted the dual nature of AI, bringing groundbreaking changes while also posing significant privacy threats. The PIPC is actively working on establishing a trust-based framework, including new guidelines for processing publicly available data for AI training, to ensure both innovation and robust privacy protection.
SEOUL, South Korea – In a pivotal address on September 30, 2025, Ko Hak-su, Chairperson of South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC), called for the urgent establishment of a responsible AI data ecosystem to fortify privacy protections. Speaking at the ‘5th Personal Information Protection Day Commemoration Ceremony’ held at The Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, Chairperson Ko underscored the transformative yet challenging impact of artificial intelligence.
“The rapid spread of AI is driving groundbreaking changes across our society while also triggering privacy threats,” Ko stated, emphasizing the commission’s commitment to building a trust-based AI data ecosystem. This initiative aims to enhance privacy safeguards in an era defined by unprecedented AI innovation. The ceremony, themed ‘Safe personal information, a reassuring AI era,’ attracted over 350 attendees from various sectors, including industry, academia, and government, reflecting the broad societal interest in this critical issue.
Personal Information Protection Day, observed annually on September 30, commemorates the enforcement date of the Personal Information Protection Act in 2011 and was designated a statutory anniversary in 2023 to elevate public awareness regarding the importance of personal information protection.
To enable AI technology innovation that the public can trust, Chairperson Ko reiterated the necessity of creating a data ecosystem fundamentally premised on personal information protection. This includes ongoing efforts by the PIPC to clarify legal uncertainties surrounding the use of publicly available data for AI model training. In August 2025, the PIPC released draft guidelines designed to provide a comprehensive framework for managing personal data in AI development. These guidelines establish ‘legitimate interests’ as a primary legal basis for processing publicly accessible data, requiring AI developers to demonstrate legitimacy of purpose, necessity of data processing, and a thorough assessment of interests between data processors and subjects.
Furthermore, the PIPC’s framework mandates administrative requirements for AI business operators, such as conducting Privacy Impact Assessments and incorporating safeguards into privacy policies. The commission also recommends forming AI Privacy Red Teams to proactively monitor vulnerabilities and risks within AI systems. Kyunghoon Bae, head of LG AI Research and Advisory Council co-chairperson, welcomed these initiatives, noting that the guidelines provide a ‘lawful basis to safely process personal data from publicly available data to mitigate legal uncertainties in developing AI technologies.’
Chairperson Ko also addressed recent operational challenges, mentioning disruptions to some public-facing services of the Personal Information Protection Commission due to a fire at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) on September 26. He assured the public that the commission is exerting its utmost efforts for swift normalization. Additionally, in response to a recent spate of large-scale personal information leaks involving telecom and card companies, Ko highlighted growing public anxiety and reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to strengthening the personal information safety management system, as announced on September 12, to effectively respond to complex infringement risks.
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Yoon Han-hong, chairperson of the National Assembly’s State Affairs Committee, also delivered congratulatory remarks, underscoring the legislative support for these crucial privacy protection efforts.
