President Lee Jae-myung said on the 9th, "If systematic information protection and strong cybersecurity are supported, the three major powers of artificial intelligence (AI) can become a reality in Korea."
On this day, at the 14th Information Protection Day ceremony, President Lee conveyed this message through a congratulatory speech delivered by Deputy Minister Ryu Je-myung of the Ministry of Science and ICT. President Lee noted, "We are facing a tremendous transformation called the AI revolution. AI is fundamentally changing our lives across industries and society, beyond science and technology," and stated, "Behind innovation, there are always risks. The advancement of AI is accompanied by increasingly intelligent cyber threats."
He continued, "We are facing a pressing and practical challenge of enhancing cybersecurity alongside AI and digital advancements," and pointed out, "A single cyber attack can disrupt the daily lives of citizens, threaten the existence of corporations, and paralyze the nation's critical infrastructure."
He emphasized, "To ensure that citizens can feel safe from cyber threats, it is becoming increasingly important to make more fundamental and strengthened efforts in cybersecurity to prevent the nation from being exposed to cyber threats," adding, "If the public and private sectors cooperate closely, we can preemptively block cyber threats and minimize damage."
The government pledged to reorganize policies and systems to enhance cybersecurity capabilities, set benchmarks for responsible security for corporations, ensure cyber resilience, strengthen security capabilities of local and small corporations, promote the information protection industry, and cultivate security talent.
President Lee said, "First, we need to reorganize policies and systems to ensure that the cybersecurity system can operate properly from the frontline," and stated, "The government will present the correct information security benchmarks so that corporations can ensure security responsibly."
He added, "I will strengthen our cyber resilience so that society can continue its essential functions without being shaken by cyber attacks," stating, "By raising the information protection levels of regions and small corporations that are vulnerable in security, we will create a cyber environment where citizens can feel safe anytime and anywhere, and we will actively cultivate the necessary security talent."
Furthermore, he emphasized, "I will actively help the information protection industry to leap to a strategic industry that can sustain national security and contribute to economic growth," adding, "Information protection and technological innovation are like two wheels of a cart. They must develop together."
Information Protection Day is a statutory memorial day designated on the second Wednesday of every July since 2012 to raise awareness of cyber threats in society and promote citizens' habitual information protection, triggered by the DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) crisis on July 7, 2009. The ceremony was conducted mainly by the Ministry of Science and ICT, the National Intelligence Service, and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, along with the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) and the Korea Information Security Industry Association (KISIA).
Recently, cyber attacks have become more sophisticated as they combine with artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, threatening the daily lives of citizens and the existence of corporations. This poses a serious threat to national security, as such attacks are being exploited against national critical infrastructures like energy and transportation. The ceremony focused on the theme of 'In the AI era, creating a digital secure nation that citizens can trust,' emphasizing the need for all members of Korean society to come together as one team to prepare for a robust AI era through a comprehensive transformation of the national cybersecurity system.
Chairperson Choi Min-hee of the Science. ICT. Broadcasting. and Communications Committee emphasized in a video speech, "Information protection is no longer an option but a core strategy for national survival, and the National Assembly will actively work to improve laws and systems for the enhancement of Korea's information protection system," stating, "Strong and solid cybersecurity will be a shield to protect innovation as Korea leaps to become a leading AI power and a solid support for citizens' trust."
About 500 people attended the event, including Deputy Minister Ryu Je-myung from the Ministry of Science and ICT, government officials, experts from academia and industries, and ordinary citizens. A variety of programs were conducted, including awards for outstanding contributions in information protection, a relay declaration of cybersecurity vision by a citizen delegation, and an exhibition of excellent information protection products. The four representatives of the citizen delegation, made up of industry, academia, security sectors, and ordinary citizens, expressed their commitment to information protection from their perspectives, emphasizing the creation of a voluntary investment ecosystem in security, cultivation of core talent in information protection, next-generation security R&D, and practical implementation in daily life.
To emphasize the necessity of cybersecurity, the government will expand the second week of July to 'Information Protection Week UNITE (University, Network, Integration, Technology, Education).' Additionally, the 10th anniversary ceremony of the Global Cybersecurity Cooperation Network (CAMP), the Ransomware Resilience Conference, the Codegate Hacking Defense Competition, and the Information Protection Rookie Meetup Day will also be held.