South Korea joins G7 digital ministers' meeting to discuss online child protection

The Korea Communications Commission has announced plans to work with the United States, France, Japan and other major countries to build a global platform for protecting minors online.

The commission said Chairman Kim Jong-cheol joined ministers from participating countries at the G7 Digital and Technology Ministers' Meeting, held via video conference Tuesday, to discuss measures for protecting minors in online spaces. The meeting was convened as a follow-up to a joint declaration adopted at a G7 ministerial meeting in France in May, which committed participating nations to cooperation aimed at maximizing the benefits of AI and digital technology.

The meeting, proposed by French Minister for AI and Digital Affairs Anne Le Henanff, brought together digital and technology ministers from the G7 nations and five invited countries.

Le Henanff put forward three proposals: establishing a global scientific platform for the protection of minors, conducting research on the effects of digital services on minors, and creating a shared database of research findings related to minors.

She also suggested research topics covering minors' physical and mental health, cognitive development and academic achievement, social and relational development, and the potential for algorithmic recommendations to foster overdependence.

The commission said it plans to share the meeting's outcomes with relevant government ministries and discuss the direction of future efforts, noting that multiple domestic agencies are already cooperating on child protection.

"Protecting minors in online spaces is a policy challenge shared by the entire world, and various government ministries in Korea are already implementing a range of youth protection policies," Kim said. "The Korea Communications Commission will cooperate with the minor protection platform proposed by France."

He added that minors "are not simply subjects to be protected, but rights-holders who can obtain information and express their views through digital services," and called for "a public deliberation process in which minors participate directly."