[Edaily Reporter Yun Junghoon ]SKTelecom(017670)has published its first “AI Governance Report,” which outlines AI governance principles, a framework of accountability, and specific implementation plans, thereby accelerating its “AI Trust Management” initiative.

SKT announced on the 26th that it published this report to ensure the safety of AI technology and to lay a foundation of trust so that customers and society can use its services with confidence.

Jeong Jae-heon, CEO of SKT Corporation, emphasized, “As a company that has long been responsible for telecommunications infrastructure, we are clearly aware of our responsibilities—just as much as we are committed to technological innovation—as we drive the AI transformation,” adding, “Safety and trust must be prerequisites placed at the starting point of the AI transformation, not its outcome.”

CEO Jeong continued, “The ‘AI Trust’ that SKTelecom pursues is ensuring that customers can trust not only the performance of AI but also the company’s sense of responsibility,” adding, “Starting with our executive leadership, we will take responsibility and use the ‘T.H.E. AI’ principles as our guiding criteria from the planning to the operation of AI technology to deliver AI services that customers can use with confidence.”

Following the establishment of its “AI Core Values” in 2021, SKT has continuously refined its governance framework, including the unveiling of its AI governance principles, “T.H.E. AI (by Telco, for Humanity, with Ethics),” in March 2024. This report goes beyond the establishment of these principles to detail the specific implementation frameworks currently in operation in actual services and workplaces, along with key achievements.

In particular, in light of the emerging “Agent AI” era, the report outlines a proactive approach to risk management. The plan is to enhance stability and accountability by applying consistent management standards throughout the entire lifecycle—including development, testing, operation, and decommissioning—of internal and external Agent AI agents that make autonomous decisions and perform tasks.

In addition, the company is continuously improving its integrated management system that links personal information protection with AI governance. Under the leadership of the Chief Privacy Officer (CPO), the company applies the “Privacy by Design” principle—which incorporates privacy considerations from the service planning stage—to preemptively block potential risks.

Efforts to achieve global standard certification are also yielding tangible results. Following its certification in 2024 as the first South Korean telecommunications company to obtain “ISO/IEC 42001 (AI Management System)” certification—an international standard for consumer-facing AI services—the company secured an expanded certification this past October that now includes its internal Agent AI management system.

Cha Ho-beom, SKT’s CPO, stated, “In the era of Agent AI, the importance of governance is growing even more,” adding, “We will continue to proactively enhance our operational framework in line with the evolving global AI landscape and regulatory trends.”