AI in Public Administration: AI in Public Administration

The unstoppable rise of AI already reached official institutions, opening up new possibilities to achieve diverse advantages, especially in terms of efficiency. At the same time, AI brings risks that must be addressed. South Korea as well as the European Union (EU) and its member states gained their first experiences with the implementation of AI in public administration, set different focuses and ultimately drawn their own conclusions.

The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Korea (FNF Korea), together with the Korean Local Information Research & Development Institute (KLID), organized a joint forum on January 20, 2025. Following their long-term interchange on AI-related topics and an affiliated event in 2024, the panel discussion “AI in Public Administration – Lessons from EU and Korea” offered a platform for several international experts, to share their experiences and achievements with the implementation of AI with an interested audience.

Frederic Spohr is giving a opening speech — © KLID

Frederic Spohr, head of FNF Korea, and Seok-jin Kim, vice president of KLID, opened the event with remarks on the topic, followed by a Keynote Address of Stefan Schnorr, state secretary at the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport, in which he referred to the European and German implementations of AI, drawing attention on ethical aspects. Before the actual panel discussion, Micha Cho, Executive Manager of KLID, gave a presentation on “The Birth of AI Financial Super Service”, emphasizing the successful implementation of AI in the public administration of South Korean cities including Incheon, which was - in particular - helpful for the city’s development plans.

The panel discussion was joined by state secretary Schnorr, and KLID Executive Director Cho, as well as Joo-hwan Jung, Director of Naver Cloud Platform, and Dr. Rainer Wessely, Counsellor of the EU delegation to the Republic of Korea. The participants discussed on how AI could be exploited to gain political influence, the “EU Artificial Intelligence Act” and the institutionalization of AI ethics. To make AI safe, international cooperation and discussion were seen as something essential. The main benefit of AI should always be human-centred and mainly support convenience - always conducted democratically.

Finally, the event closed successfully with a networking reception.

*Tim Kutschki holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Korean Studies. He is currently studying Political Economy and International Relations for a Master's degree at Gutenberg University Mainz. At present, he supports the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Korea as an intern.