FULL TEXT President Lee Jae Myung’s address at UN Security Council open debate on AI, international peace, security

President Lee Jae Myung presides over a United Nations Security Council open debate at U.N. headquarters in New York, Wednesday (local time). Yonhap

National Statement of the Republic of Korea on the occasion of the UNSC Open Debate on AI and International Peace and Security

Let me thank Secretary-General Guterres, Professor Bengio, and Professor Choi for their insightful briefings.

As I listened, I was reminded of the words of Professor Geoffrey Hinton, who once said that today’s AI is like “a very cute tiger cub.”

This tiger cub before us may well grow into a predator that devours us, or it may become a beloved companion like Derpy from KPop Demon Hunters.

A knife in the hands of a chef is a tool that brings joy to others; but the same knife in the hands of a robber is nothing more than a menacing weapon to cause harm.

AI, in particular, will bring the most disruptive innovation to the way we process knowledge and information. And it may soon be able to judge and decide for itself like a human being.

Therefore, an entirely different future will unfold before us depending on how wisely we choose to wield this tool called AI.

If used well, AI can help us overcome daunting challenges like low-growth and high prices, opening a new path to prosperity. It could also provide solutions to various problems in fields such as health, food, and education.

But if we are dragged along by the changes without being prepared for them, the extreme technological divide may function as a “Silicon Curtain” that surpasses even the “Iron Curtain,” aggravating global inequality and imbalance.

To turn the changes of the AI era — where light and shadow coexist — into opportunities, it is essential for the international community to unite and uphold the principle of “Responsible Use of AI.”

If, as many experts warn, AI threatens humanity and leads to its downfall, that would probably be because we failed to establish common global norms befitting such a monumental transformation.

In an era where AI capability is emerging as a key determining factor of national power — both in economic and security terms – it is neither possible nor realistic to attempt to reverse technological progress like the Luddites.

The only viable and wise choice would be to compete for national interest while cooperating for the benefit of humankind at the same time.

Governments, academia, industry and civil society must come together and draw on collective wisdom to bring innovation toward “AI for all” and “inclusive and human-centric AI.”

The role and the responsibility of the Security Council is ever more important.

In the field of international peace and security — upon which the lives and safety of countless people depend — AI holds both unlimited potential benefit as well as risks.

From intelligence and surveillance to logistics and military planning, AI is strengthening accuracy and precision across the military domain while leading innovation in operational efficiency and command systems.

If used well, AI could be a powerful instrument for preventing conflict and maintaining peace, such as by monitoring the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).

It could also contribute to promoting international peace and security by ensuring the swift delivery of humanitarian assistance to those in need.

However, if this formidable tool were to escape human control, we would not be able to avoid a dystopian future of rampant mis- and dis-information and surging terrorism and cyberattacks. Instability in security may also deepen due to an AI-driven arms race.

The Security Council has actively responded to evolving threats — from terrorism and cyberattacks to pandemics — while guiding the international community with vision and leadership.

Now, in the AI era, the Council must once again assess the changing security landscape and seek new collective responses.

The Republic of Korea, as a responsible global power, is committed to leading international cooperation to ensure that AI becomes a tool for building a sustainable future for humanity.

Already last year, together with the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea tabled the first-ever UN General Assembly resolution on AI in the military domain and hosted the Responsible Military Use of AI (REAIM) Summit in Seoul.

Furthermore, the Republic of Korea supported the UN’s efforts to combat mis- and dis- information against peacekeepers, and tabled a resolution on emerging technologies and human rights as a member of the Human Rights Council.

At the AI Seoul Summit held in May 2024, we adopted the “Seoul Declaration,” which outlined three guiding visions: Safety, Innovation, and Inclusion.

As the Chair of APEC, the Republic of Korea is promoting the adoption of the APEC AI Initiative to ensure that AI innovation contributes to the prosperity of humanity.

Through such efforts, the Republic of Korea is striving to establish an “AI universal basic society,” where everyone benefits from technological advancements, and the principle of “AI for all” as the new normal of the new era.

Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Standing before the civilizational transformation that AI will bring about, humanity is passing through a critical inflection point where it must safeguard the universal values it has upheld throughout the long history.

Human civilization has always responded to new challenges. And because we never lost hope of advancing towards a “better world,” even in the face of despair, we have been able to achieve the progress we see today.

The shining history of the United Nations, which has constantly sought the path of world peace and shared prosperity amid times of crisis, holds the answer.

Let us not shy away from the new historical mission entrusted to us. Let us turn the changes brought by AI into a springboard for humanity to make a renewed leap forward.

Thank you for your attention.