열린장관실

Remarks by H.E. Park Jin

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Republic of Korea

At the Gala Dinner

The 3rd World Emerging Security Forum

(December 5, 2023)

Good evening. It is a genuine privilege

to welcome all of you this evening.

I am thrilled to host this dinner

in celebration of our shared dedication

to global security, following a day of

thought-provoking discussions.

Special thanks to our distinguished speakers.

Another special thanks to our two partners,

CNAS, led by Mr. Richard Fontaine,

who is my good friend, and KAIST.

They outdid themselves in facilitating

today's fruitful exchanges.

Your presence here in Seoul

serves to emphasize the partnership

between our two organizations

which have worked together

in preparing for this meaningful venture.

Your insights have

not only enlightened us;

they have also challenged us to think

more deeply about the transformative impact of emerging technologies on global security.  

To all of you, thank you for being here,

and I would like to thank

Professor Lee Gyun Min, Vice President of KAIST,

who is a biology life science specialist;

Ambassador Ed Kronenburg, from the Netherlands, who is the Special Envoy for the REAIM conference;

Director Dan Smith of SIPRI, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute;

Dean Xue Lan, Dean of Schwarzman College and also Institute for AI International Governance, Tsinghua Dàxué;

Ambassador Chafik Rachadi,

from the Kingdom of Morrocco,

who is one of the most active ambassadors in town –

thank you for being here;

And Dr. Kim Duyeon, Adjust Senior Follow of the Indo-Pacific Security Program of the CNAS.

And also, I’d like to thank all of you

for being here tonight and participating

in the day-long insightful discussions

and exchange of opinions among global experts.

I trust that this evening will provide an opportunity to relax and connect with friends.

Our discussions today have reinforced my belief: when we come together with open minds

and a shared vision,

we can meet any challenge head-on.

Today, we have cast a spotlight

on the extraordinary capabilities of AI,

a force that is revolutionizing

every aspect of our lives and

defining the modern era.

AI, which has long stirred our imaginations,

has been a staple of science fiction for years.

I’m a Trekkie myself

– I grew up with the Starship Enterprise,

but think back to the 1968 movie,

"2001: A Space Odyssey."

It tells the story of HAL 9000,

a sentient computer

of the spaceship "Discovery One”,

turning against its human companions

during a space voyage.

HAL 9000 told the human astronaut Dave Bowman

“This mission is too important for me

to allow human to jeopardize it.”

That’s what it said.

Or more recently, a Marvel Universe movie,

the "Avengers: Age of Ultron," where Ultron,

a supervillain with human emotions,

an AI created by the protagonist Tony Stark,

or Iron Man, deems humanity a threat to peace,

and targets the very protectors

it was created to assist.

These are movies and stories, spanning decades,

reflecting our current concerns about AI:

the fear of creating something beyond our control, something unpredictable; something unstoppable.

And this concern surrounding AI is not only from these imaginary scenarios.

It also comes from its misuse in our current reality.

The use of deepfake technology

in the upcoming movie "Here" by Robert Zemeckis(로버트 저메키스)

to de-age Tom Hanks, for instance,

exemplifies how technology can distort reality.

The implications of such technology are stark, heralding an era where disinformation can be manufactured with chilling authenticity.

But, we should not also forget,

that the benefits and utility and also good things

that these advanced technologies can bring to human society is huge and immense,

and this is something that perhaps

we cannot prevent from happening.

Our history is a testament to turning challenges

into opportunities through innovation and resilience.

So, let us not be driven by concern, or fear.

Rather, let us overcome the silos and promote a healthy, open dialogue.  

Governments, academia, industry,

civil society, and thought leaders –

each of us holds a piece of a larger puzzle.

By working together,

we can harness the power of

emerging technologies for

the greater good of humanity.

In his book “The Age of AI”,

The late Henry Kissinger emphasized the need

For modern-day Descartes and Kant figures.

They are capable of elucidating what humanity is creating, and the implications of this creation

in the age of AI.

It was in this spirit that

Korea has launched

the World Emerging Security Forum this year.

Our aim is to collectively understand

and explore ways to address

these emerging threats.

And today's fruitful exchanges

reinforce our dedication to this

ongoing global dialogue.

I have heard a lot of good, positive response

from the participants today in this Forum,

which is really exciting.

We can build further momentum

on these efforts

with the expertise of organizations

such as CNAS and also KAIST, in this endeavor.

So, thank you once again for participating

in this timely and very important conference,

and also for your invaluable contributions,

including Dr. Scharre,

whom I met with CEO Richard Fontaine

in Washington a couple of years ago.

We discussed preparing this seminar,

which is a very successful one now.

I appreciate your contribution.

Let’s build a more secure

and prosperous world together.

Thank you very much. 감사합니다.  /FIN/