Bipartisan military AI bill proposed at National Assembly

South Korea’s first bill dedicated to military artificial intelligence was introduced Monday at the National Assembly, as bipartisan lawmakers moved to establish a legal framework for defense AI.

In the bill’s preamble, lawmakers describe artificial intelligence as “a core foundation of national competitiveness,” noting that in the defense sector it is emerging as a key factor shaping future military capabilities.

The bill added that AI is expected to “drive innovation in military operations, enhance command decision-making and improve battlefield prediction,” noting that major countries are already fostering defense AI to secure technological superiority.

The proposal also points to a legal gap in South Korea’s current framework, noting that while existing law broadly governs the development and use of artificial intelligence, the defense sector is excluded from its scope.

Under the proposed legislation, the government would establish a basic policy direction for defense AI, while requiring human intervention in cases “where automated decisions could pose serious risks to human life or physical safety.”

The defense minister would be mandated to formulate and implement a national defense AI master plan every three years to ensure the systematic execution of related policies.

The bill also calls for the creation of a Defense AI Committee, chaired by the defense minister, to deliberate on major policy directions and institutional reforms. It further proposes establishing dedicated bodies to support defense AI policy development, international cooperation and the safety and reliability of military AI technologies.

To accelerate the deployment of advanced capabilities, the legislation also allows for special procedures for weapons systems deemed to require rapid fielding or recognized for their technological innovation.

The bill is expected to gain traction in the National Assembly, as it has drawn rare bipartisan backing led by lawmakers with defense expertise.

It was jointly introduced by Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the main opposition People Power Party and Rep. Boo Seung-chan of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, with a total of 33 lawmakers from both parties participating in the proposal.

Yu, a first-term lawmaker elected in 2024, is a former journalist who spent more than 30 years covering military affairs at the local daily Chosun Ilbo.

Boo, also a first-term lawmaker, graduated from the Korea Air Force Academy and served for two decades in the Air Force before joining the liberal bloc and later working as Defense Ministry spokesperson under the Moon Jae-in administration.

The bill will go through parliamentary procedural review before being referred by the National Assembly Speaker to a relevant standing committee.

Both Yu and Boo serve on the National Assembly’s National Defense Committee.