South Korea Seeks Stronger AI Governance Cooperation With Malaysia, ASEAN

By Nabilah Saleh

SEOUL, Oct 17 (Bernama) -- South Korea has expressed interest in strengthening ties with Malaysia and other member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on issues related to artificial intelligence (AI), with a particular emphasis on intellectual property (IP) protection, cybersecurity, misinformation, and cross-border cooperation.

According to Kwak Jae Woo, an Intellectual Property (IP) lawyer and expert from Seoul-based law firm Lee & Ko, this initiative coincides with Malaysia’s upcoming chairmanship of the regional grouping, offering a prime opportunity for collaboration in AI governance.

“South Korea’s proactive approach to regulating AI could serve as a model for Southeast Asia. My country's approach balances the need for innovation with public safety and ethical considerations.

“South Korea has crafted forward-looking legislation addressing the specific challenges posed by AI, especially generative AI that has high potential to create misinformation.

“Malaysia can leverage its ASEAN Chairmanship to push for a unified framework that addresses AI-related issues such as privacy, cybersecurity and IP protection,” he said in a recent interview with Bernama.

Kwak was met on the sidelines of the 37th LAWASIA Conference 2024, held here from Oct 13 until Oct 15, 2024.

The conference gathered bar leaders, jurists, professional organisations and individual lawyers from across the Asia-Pacific region to discuss regional developments in law, judicial practice, legal education and cross-border dispute resolution.

Elaborating on Malaysia’s role within ASEAN, Kwak pointed out that ASEAN could align its policies and adopt a cohesive framework to collectively address the challenges posed by AI technologies.

As cybersecurity risks associated with AI are currently rising, he suggested that ASEAN forums could benefit from South Korea’s approach to integrating cybersecurity measures into AI regulations.

“AI is revolutionising many industries, but it’s also increasing the sophistication of cybersecurity threats. ASEAN should take note that focus on cybersecurity within its AI policies to foster a safer digital environment across the region is essential at this point of time,”  he added.

Furthermore, with emerging challenges such as misinformation and fake news, which threaten national security, politics, and economies, Kwak recommended the establishment of a Regional Task Force to monitor and combat misinformation.

This task force, Kwak said, could include representatives from ASEAN member states, technology companies, and civil society, providing a diverse range of perspectives to tackle this growing issue.

“This collaborative approach is essential for developing effective solutions to misinformation challenges,” he said, noting international cooperation is highly needed particularly as countries grapple with the global nature of AI innovations. 

He further recommended that Malaysia and ASEAN prioritise the development of educational programmes to inform creators and the public about their rights and obligations regarding AI-generated content.

“Aligning with international standards is vital now for ASEAN, and Malaysia could (also) play a pivotal role in fostering cross-border cooperation on AI-related legal frameworks,” he said. 

According to international media reports, notable legal cases include Thaler v. Comptroller-General of Patents and Google LLC v. Oracle America, Inc, which both sparked debates over AI's impact on copyright law and software development. 

-- BERNAMA