- The Republic of Korea contributed to expanding the scope of human rights issues in the international community and, as a global ICT leader, laid the foundation for establishing and effectively implementing related human rights norms.

1. At its 59th session on July 7, the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) adopted the ROK-led resolution on “new and emerging digital technologies and human rights” by consensus.

This resolution garnered broad international support, with more than 60 countries joining as co-sponsors including key Council members such as Japan, Germany, France, Spain, Mexico, and Chile.

※ Austria, Brazil, Denmark, Morocco, and Singapore participated as main sponsors alongside the ROK.

2. First adopted in 2019 at the 41st session of the Human Rights Council under the leadership of the Republic of Korea, this resolution has been adopted biennially and was adopted for the fourth time this year.

This resolution is the first at the Human Rights Council to address the overall human rights implications of new and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and big data. Additionally, this resolution highlights both the positive and negative impacts of the rapid development of digital technologies on human rights in a comprehensive and balanced manner, and emphasizes the importance of a holistic, inclusive and comprehensive approach as well as a human rights-based approach.

3. In particular, this year’s resolution emphasizes the importance of outlining and implementing more consistent human rights norms through coordination among the various ongoing discussions in the international community concerning norms on new and emerging digital technologies.

For this purpose, the resolution requested the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to convene regular meetings of relevant UN human rights entities, present the report on States’ obligations and the human rights responsibilities of business enterprises, and convene a multi-stakeholder meeting, inviting broad participation, including from States, business enterprises, intergovernmental organizations, the technical community, and academia. Furthermore, the resolution emphasized the importance of providing clear, concise, and practical human rights guidance to States and business enterprises.

4. This resolution was adopted amid growing international attention and discussions on the impact of new and digital technologies on human rights, receiving widespread interest not only from UN Member States but also from UN agencies, civil society organizations, the technical community, and academia. The resolution is regarded as a significant step towards establishing and implementing human rights norms effectively in the field of new and emerging digital technologies.

5. As a Human Rights Council member for the term 2025-2027 as well as a global ICT leader, the Republic of Korea will continue to lead the discussions on key human rights agendas, including “new and emerging digital technologies and human rights” and “local government and human rights,” both led by the ROK. At the same time, the Republic of Korea remains committed to playing its role with responsibility in promoting universal values including human rights and democracy in the international community.