As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to catalyze innovation across diverse industries and societal domains, it simultaneously engenders a range of unforeseen social issues and concerns. This dual impact has led nations to recognize that establishing social trust in AI is a fundamental prerequisite for its effective integration into both industry and society. In April 2024, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) of Korea published the "Generative AI and Copyright Guide" in English, following the initial release of the Korean version in December of the preceding year. This guide was developed in response to the increasingly cross-border utilization of Korean content for AI training and the production of content resembling K-content by global enthusiasts of Korean culture (Hallyu) using generative AI. The initiative aims to clarify legal ambiguities and proactively address copyright concerns, thereby fostering a more sustainable creative ecosystem.

Prior to the 5th ASEAN-KOREA Innovative Culture Forum, the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE) co-organized the ASEAN-KOREA Creative Economy Workshop in collaboration with the ASEAN Foundation. This event, facilitated by the National Gallery Singapore, centered around the theme “Exploration of an ASEAN Art Technology & Economy Network” and took place at the ASEAN Secretariat in September. Throughout the two-day workshop, the ASEAN Secretariat’s Digital Economy Division (DED) and Culture & Information Division (CID) delivered comprehensive presentations on the ASEAN Creative Economy and the ASEAN AI Guidelines. Participants—including artists, scientists, curators, administrators, and government officials from Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Lao PDR, Malaysia, and Korea—engaged in substantive discussions.

The central theme of this year’s forum is “inclusivity.” It is crucial to determine whether artificial intelligence is embraced as a pivotal element that heralds a new social paradigm or regarded merely as a passive tool akin to other technologies. The primary objective is to establish a framework that fosters ongoing dialogue and mutual understanding among diverse stakeholders
in the ASEAN-KOREA cultural and creative sectors. In the context of an era dominated by artificial intelligence, it is essential to re-examine the foundations of our humanity. This re-evaluation will enable us to address the challenges of creativity and guide the development of creative artificial intelligence through constructive dialogue with ASEAN.