People-centered model to guide initiative; planning body with internal and external experts gets underway
South Chungcheong Province is moving to become the first in the country to build a society in which the basic rights of all residents are actively guaranteed through AI technology.
The provincial government announced Monday that it will formally pursue the creation of a "South Chungcheong-style AI Basic Society," expanding the application of AI beyond industry to encompass residents' daily lives and fundamental rights.
The province plans to establish a master plan covering not only care, healthcare and public safety but also transportation, culture, sports and the environment — every domain touching residents' basic quality of life.
To that end, a planning body has been formed, bringing together researchers from provincial institutions including the Chungnam Research Institute and the Social Service Agency, along with outside experts. The group held its inaugural meeting at the Chungnam Research Institute on Tuesday, with provincial officials and research institute division heads in attendance.
Having shared a detailed implementation schedule at the meeting, the planning body will hold a series of strategy sessions to define the concept and policy scope of the South Chungcheong-style AI Basic Society by September, and to establish a vision, strategic framework, task-identification system and channels for public engagement.
By October, an operational task force led by the vice governor for administrative affairs will finalize and announce the initiative's vision, positioning the province as a leader on a national policy agenda.
Throughout the process, the province will run open forums, a public participation platform, an ideas competition and a pool of experts and private-sector partners to ensure residents' voices are reflected at every stage — from policy design through implementation.
The head of the province's health and welfare division said the office would "do its utmost to develop a people-centered AI basic society model that residents can truly feel in their lives, faithfully reflecting the characteristics of South Chungcheong Province and the voices from the field."
kwonhl@heraldcorp.com
