Foreign Ministry Briefs Foreign Diplomats on REAIM Conference Preparations

SEOUL — The foreign ministry announced Thursday that it held a briefing session for foreign diplomats in Seoul regarding preparations for an upcoming international conference on the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the military domain.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Responsible AI in the Military Domain (REAIM) conference is scheduled for Sept. 9-10 in Seoul. Co-hosted by South Korea, the Netherlands, and Singapore, it will be the second such gathering since its launch last year. The conference aims to promote understanding of the responsible use of AI in the military realm.

Ambassador Lee Won-ik, head of the REAIM Summit 2024's preparatory team, invited representatives from 90 countries stationed in Korea to the session and briefed them on the preparation efforts, the ministry said in a press release. Lee highlighted the importance of concerted efforts for the responsible use of AI as a technology that can reshape the military domain. He emphasized that South Korea is ready to take an active role in discussions on norms and international governance regarding the initiative.

This year's REAIM conference will feature a two-day plenary meeting and a minister-level gathering on the second day, along with panel discussions and other events involving various stakeholders, including government officials, industry, and academia. The inaugural REAIM Summit was held in The Hague in February last year.