The 22nd ROK-UN Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-proliferation Issues, co-hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), kicked off in Geneva (Switzerland) on December 4th. The two-day conference will focus on the topic of “Governance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Military Domain.”

  ※ The ROK-UN Conference on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Issues, initiated in 2001 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Republic of Korea (ROK)'s UN membership, aims to explore ways for progress in disarmament and non-proliferation. It is an annual 1.5-track international conference where experts from governments, international organizations, academia, and industry gather and discuss key issues in the area of disarmamant and non-proliferation for that year.

Mr. Dong-yeol RHEE, Ambassador for International Security Affairs and Special Advisor to the Minister, and Ms. Izumi NAKAMITSU, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, participated in the 22nd ROK-UN Joint Conference, along with AI experts from diverse fields and delegates to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.

In their opening remarks, Ambassador Rhee and High Representative Nakamitsu emphasized the importance of international norms for responsible AI use in the military domain. They also highlighted that close international cooperation is more important than ever to prevent the military use of AI from becoming an area of arms race.

Ambassador Rhee expressed the hope that the 22nd ROK-UN Joint Conference would serve as a platform for sharing the progress in discussion on the military use of AI and exchanging ideas among experts in preparation for the second Summit on Responsible AI in the Military Domain (REAIM Summit), scheduled to take place in Seoul next year.

During this 22nd conference, discussions will address the advantages and risks of military applications of AI and examine ways to establish international norms on AI in the military domain. The first day (December 4th) will cover topics such as the benefits and risks of using AI in the military domain; the integration of AI into military decision-making process; the incorporation of AI into weapon systems; and the legal and ethical issues related to the military use of AI. On the second day (December 5th), discussions will encompass current discussions on AI in other international fora; lessons learned from civilian approaches to AI; and regional perspectives on AI in the military domain.

Two university students also participated in the conference as the 2023 Korean Youth Representative for Disarmament and Non-proliferation. They introduced young Koreans’ view on the military use of AI with card news and posters they made by themselves.

The ROK government will continue its efforts to contribute to discussions on the responsible use of AI in the military domain and establishing relevant international norms through the successful hosting of the second REAIM Summit.