Song Kyunghee, First Female Director-General at the Ministry of Science and ICT, Appointed as New Chairperson of the Personal Information Protection Commission

AI Policy Expert from the Ministry of Science and ICT
Younger Sister of Song Younggil, Leader of the Pine Tree Party

Song Kyunghee, Director of the Artificial Intelligence Reliability Center at the AI Convergence Institute of Sungkyunkwan University, has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the Personal Information Protection Commission. Song, the incoming Chairperson, is recognized for her expertise in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), having served as the first female director-general at the Ministry of Science and ICT, as well as holding positions such as Director-General for Software Policy and Director-General for AI-Based Policy.

The Presidential Office announced on October 2 that President Lee Jaemyung has appointed Song, a former official at the Ministry of Science and ICT, as the Chairperson of the Personal Information Protection Commission, a ministerial-level position.

Song Kyunghee, newly appointed Chairperson of the Personal Information Protection Commission and Director of the Artificial Intelligence Reliability Center at Sungkyunkwan University AI Convergence Institute. Photo by the Presidential Office

Born in 1966 in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, Song graduated from Jeonnam Girls’ High School and majored in English Language and Literature at Chonnam National University. She earned her master’s degrees in public administration from Seoul National University and Harvard University in the United States, and a doctorate in business administration (technology management) from Yonsei University. After passing the 39th Higher Civil Service Examination, she began her public service career, serving as Director-General for Software Policy and Director-General for AI-Based Policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT, as well as Head of the Intellectual Property Strategy Planning Division. She also made history as the first female director-general at the Ministry of Science and ICT. During the Moon Jaein administration, she served as Head of the Support Team for the Presidential Committee on the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Until recently, Song served as Director of the Artificial Intelligence Reliability Center at the AI Convergence Institute of Sungkyunkwan University. She also participated as a planning committee member for the State Affairs Planning Committee, which functioned as the transition team for the Lee Jaemyung administration, where she was responsible for developing AI policy initiatives. Song is also the younger sister of Song Younggil, leader of the Pine Tree Party and former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.

Kang Yujeong, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, described Song as "an expert well-versed in AI policy and user protection," and stated, "She is the right person to harmoniously lead the establishment of a personal information protection system and the development of AI in a time when technological advancement is increasing threats to personal information."

The term of the new Chairperson Song will begin on October 7. The former Chairperson, Ko Haksoo, held a farewell ceremony and stepped down on October 2.