Republic of Korea: Adopted PIPC Guidance for the safe use of personal information and AI

On 3 August 2023, the Korean Personal Information Protection Committee (PIPC) adopted the Guidance for the safe use of personal information and artificial intelligence (AI). According to the PIPC, the use of AI poses an increasing risk of violating personal information. The Guidance contains rules on how to comply with the Personal Information Protection Act and sets out public-private cooperation to design a regulatory system. The PIPC outlines a principle-based system to address uncertainty. The Guidelines specify personal information protection standards for the particular stage of AI development (planning, data collection, learning, and service). Furthermore, in cooperation with private parties, specific guidelines for different sectors are established. Also, a personal information safe zone is envisaged, which allows for more flexible use of personal information.