InterviewTop OECD stats official finds Korea right on track to elevate Statistics Korea
Steve MacFeely, chief statistician and director of the Statistics and Data Directorate at the OECD, speaks in an exclusive interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of Statistics Korea
Korea is right on track to enhance the role of its national statistical office with broadened responsibilities to meet the challenges of an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven future in data management, the OECD’s top statistics official said.
Steve MacFeely, chief statistician and director of the Statistics and Data Directorate at the OECD, also said Korea’s substantial investments in AI could help the country consolidate its leading position in global AI indexes.
“I think this is tremendous ... Korea is one of the first countries to really embrace the marriage and the core responsibility of statistics and data together,” he said in an exclusive interview with The Korea Times during his visit to Seoul for a global conference hosted jointly by Statistics Korea and the OECD.
The two-day conference, which began Tuesday, was themed “AI for Data, Data for AI: Shaping the Future of Official Statistics.”
MacFeely’s remarks came after the Lee Jae Myung administration announced Sunday a plan to elevate Statistics Korea to a higher-level agency under the Prime Minister’s Office — the first such move in 35 years.
The move reflects a national push to address AI-driven transformation.
With its new status, the agency will take on expanded responsibilities focused on coordinating government-wide data governance and ensuring statistical integrity.
To reflect its broader mission, it will be renamed the National Data Center.
“I think this is the way the future will go, but it’s not common in many countries yet,” MacFeely said.
He noted only a few countries, such as Switzerland, have taken steps to enhance the role of their national statistical offices following the U.N. Statistical Commission’s recognition in 2022 as the primary coordinator of U.N. statistical and data systems.
“This is a really far-sighted move,” MacFeely said. “And it’s a move that many, many countries are going to copy in the coming years.”
Statistics Korea Commissioner Ahn Hyung-jun, fifth from left in the front row, and Steve MacFeely, fourth from left, chief statistician and director of the Statistics and Data Directorate at the OECD, pose with other participants during a global conference co-hosted by Statistics Korea and the OECD in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Statistics Korea
As for the Lee government’s plan to invest trillions in AI in the second half of the year, MacFeely said the investments “would play a role in the intersection between AI and data, ensuring efficiency gains and high-quality, reliable outputs.”
He also deemed that the investment, “if well-targeted, will help Korea maintain and consolidate its position.”
Korea scored 0.935 in the OECD Digital Government Index, placing it markedly ahead of its closest peers in digital government transformation. Correspondingly, Korea ranks among the top performers in various global AI indexes, including eighth out of 36 countries on Stanford’s Global AI Vibrancy Tool and 16th out of 174 countries on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) AI Preparedness Index.
Statistics Korea Commissioner Ahn Hyung-jun, right, meets Steve MacFeely, chief statistician and director of the Statistics and Data Directorate at the OECD, during a global conference co-hosted by Statistics Korea and the OECD in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Statistics Korea
AI: black hole or wormhole
The conference was attended by senior officials from national statistical offices and representatives from international organizations such as the OECD, IMF, UNICEF, the U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the World Bank and Eurostat.
Academic institutions and leading tech firms, including Naver and Google, also participated.
Participating countries included Estonia, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Korea, Mexico, Mongolia, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The conference was structured around six sessions, each day featuring a keynote speech to guide discussions.
In his keynote speech on the first day, MacFeely discussed whether AI, in relation to official statistics, could be a “black hole or wormhole.”
“We see enormous potential, but we have to be cautious of the risks," he told The Korea Times.
“We can mitigate the risks that we’re aware of, but there may be risks that we’re unaware of,” he said. “So all of the time, we’re proceeding ambitiously but cautiously, especially around issues like data protection and confidentiality.”
When asked about the three priorities that national statistical offices should focus on in the AI era, MacFeely said that they first must quickly adopt AI to enhance efficiency and data quality. He also said investing in IT infrastructure and skills is essential to use AI responsibly and maintain public trust. Finally, he said statistics officials need to redefine their role amid growing competition in the global data ecosystem.
Regarding the conference itself, MacFeely noted that the OECD was hosting the event with Statistics Korea for the second time, following a 2023 conference themed on economic resilience.
He lauded Statistics Korea for demonstrating strong leadership in modernizing statistical systems, investing in digital infrastructure and integrating new data sources.
“Their practical experience in applying advanced technologies provides valuable lessons for other national statistical offices,” he said. “Statistics Korea plays an important role in international cooperation and developing skills in national statistical offices abroad, and this is very much appreciated.”