A matter of choice: People and possibilities in the age of AI

Human Development Report 2025 Republic of Korea Launch

June 10, 2025

Event poster for a discussion on AI and human development, featuring details and a QR code.

Event poster for a discussion on AI and human development, featuring speaker details and QR code.

In an age where artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming every aspect of society, how can we ensure it serves to expand, rather than limit, human development? The Republic of Korea Launch of the Human Development Report 2025, hosted by UNDP Seoul Policy Centre, UNDP Human Development Report Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, will explore this critical question.

This year’s Human Development Report, "A matter of choice: People and possibilities in the age of AI", emphasizes that the future is not predetermined by AI. It is shaped by the choices we make today. The event will feature the report’s lead author and expert panelists who will engage in discussions on building a complementarity economy, driving innovation with intent, and investing in capabilities that matter — especially for the next generation.

This national launch aims to generate public dialogue around the report’s findings and inspire actionable insights for a more inclusive and human-centred AI future.

Event Details

19 June 2025, 10:00AM - 12:30PM (Seoul time, GMT+9)

Simultaneous interpretation (ENG ↔ KOR) will be provided. 한↔영 동시통역이 제공됩니다.

Session	Speaker
Welcoming speech	Anne Juepner \| Director, UNDP Seoul Policy Centre
Opening speech	Jonghan Park \| Director-General for Development Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea
Introduction of Human Development Report 2025	Pedro Conceição \| Director of UNDP Human Development Report Office and Lead Author of Human Development Report
Panel discussion 1 Building a complementarity economy: Shaping AI to expand economic opportunities and human potential	Moderator: Jungwook Kim \| Executive Director of Center for International Development (CID), Korea Development Institute (KDI)  Seung Yub Yang \| Research Fellow, Korea Labor Institute (KLI) Hyun Kyong Lee \| Research Fellow of Department of Digital Society Strategy Research, Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI)
Panel discussion 2 Driving innovation with intent: Advancing innovation and R&D to serve human development and ethical AI use	Moderator: Yoon Ko \| Vice President, National Information Society Agency (NIA) Woochul Park \| Legal Counsel, NAVER Changhyeon Lee \| Manager, AI Work Service Planning Team, AIX, SK Telecom
Panel discussion 3 Investing in capabilities that count: Building an inclusive AI future with the digital generation	Moderator: Jaehong Park \| Dean of Department of Future Science & Technology Business, Korea University Yejin Choi \| CEO of Dubu Inc., UNDP Generation17 Young Leader Ahrum Choi \| Social Impact Director, Dot Inc.
Closing remarks	Pedro Conceição \| Director of UNDP Human Development Report Office and Lead Author of Human Development Report