The United States and South Korea have reaffirmed their commitment to addressing emerging technology challenges, including artificial intelligence (AI), 5G networks, and cloud computing.
During the U.S.-ROK Information and Communication Technology Policy Forum, the two nations discussed the need for a comprehensive and inclusive approach to govern these technologies while ensuring the secure and trusted flow of data across borders. The forum, attended by senior government officials and industry representatives, served as a platform for these discussions.
This collaboration between the U.S. and South Korea comes in the context of deepening security ties among the two nations and Japan amid concerns over Chinese aggression in various regions. Diplomats from South Korea, China, and Japan have also agreed to hold a summit, partly aimed at addressing Beijing’s concerns over increased cooperation between Seoul and Tokyo.
Both countries emphasized the importance of governance that supports the development of trustworthy AI, upholds democratic values, and safeguards human rights. They plan to cooperate on standardization and best practices exchange in multilateral bodies. Additionally, data governance and privacy protection were discussed, with a focus on promoting cross-border data flows.
In the realm of 5G networking, the U.S. and South Korea pledged to encourage diverse telecommunications supplier options within the Indo-Pacific Region, aligning with efforts to reduce reliance on certain Chinese manufacturers. Observers are closely monitoring South Korea’s response to a Chinese ban on Micron Technology semiconductors, as it could signal the alignment of the South Korean administration with Washington’s priorities. Both nations also intend to collaborate on building resilient and robust cloud infrastructures and advancing research and development, people-to-people exchanges, and mutual investments to foster the growth of the cloud industry.
