AI Revolutionizes South Korea's Media Future

Artificial intelligence (AI) is paving the way for a new future in South Korean media. AI technology is significantly enhancing the efficiency of content production by innovating broadcasting and media creation methods in summarization, editing, translation, and subtitle generation. AI is bringing about fundamental changes in how we access and utilize media. It is rewriting the grammar of broadcasting, driving once-in-a-century transformations in cost reduction, speed improvement, and content quality enhancement.

2026 has been declared the 'Inaugural Year for Broadcasting, Media, and Communications Policy Reform.' A key task is to innovate outdated broadcasting regulations to align with the AI era and establish an integrated media law encompassing both OTT services and traditional broadcasting.

While AI has opened an era where anyone can create content, it simultaneously presents new risks to democracy and public discourse through the spread of deepfakes and misinformation. The government is pursuing the nurturing of a 'K-Public Forum in the AI Era' and the creation of a responsible AI ecosystem. Competitiveness in the AI era hinges not just on technological development, but on the ability to organize production systems based on trust. For South Korea to leap forward as a global media powerhouse through AI, it is crucial to enhance national media literacy by expanding AI utilization education and digital misuse prevention education. 'Media Sovereignty' has been proposed as a new policy objective for the AI era. To guarantee the right of all citizens to freely and safely use media, plans are in motion to enhance national media capabilities by expanding AI utilization and digital misuse prevention education across all life stages.

In the AI era, the broadcasting industry must focus on growth through innovation rather than regulation. The establishment of the Korea Broadcasting and Media Promotion Agency is being pursued to enhance industry promotion functions alongside improvements in broadcasting advertising and scheduling regulations. Moving away from the previous approach of separating regulation and promotion, a policy framework will be created to achieve both industry growth and public interest simultaneously.

AI serves as a driver for creating new markets, beyond just reducing costs in the broadcasting industry. AI offers significant benefits not only to large broadcasting corporations but also to smaller organizations. With AI assistance in news production, video editing, translation, subtitle generation, and short-form content creation, high productivity can be achieved with a smaller workforce. Regulatory innovation and expanded AI utilization will provide growth opportunities for new media businesses as well as established broadcasters. In the AI era, the economy of speed, rather than economies of scale, will play a more critical role in determining competitive advantage.

The task at hand is to design a new media order suitable for the AI era, going beyond merely managing the broadcasting industry. AI broadcasting innovation, the enactment of an integrated media law, the nurturing of the K-Public Forum, and regulatory reform are all aimed at making South Korea a world-leading AI media powerhouse. The future of media will be dominated by nations that possess AI, platforms, data, and trust, not just by those competing solely through airwaves.