Seoul healthcare declaration leaves final medical decisions with people
South Korea’s health minister and the head of the World Health Organization presented a healthcare AI declaration in Seoul. It assigns final medical judgement and responsibility to healthcare professionals while calling for investment in unmet needs and international cooperation. The declaration frames AI as support for decisions, alongside commitments to safety, dignity and wider access.
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Healthcare professionals retain the final judgement
The AI Healthcare Seoul Declaration was presented on 21 October during the World Bio Summit in Seoul. Its presenters were Jung Eun-kyung, South Korea's health minister, and Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who heads the World Health Organization. The organisation and the ministry hosted the event together. Healthcare professionals keep the final say on medical decisions and bear ethical and legal responsibility, with AI providing decision support. This account relies on Seoul Shinmun's reporting of the declaration.[1]
Investment is directed towards unmet needs
Human safety and dignity form the first investment priority. The declaration calls for much greater investment addressing unmet needs through research, development and infrastructure, covering essential care as well as diseases that are rare or difficult to treat. It seeks a wider distribution of capital and technology beyond the fields offering the highest commercial returns. It also recognises potential uses in prevention, diagnosis and treatment, and in developing medicines, vaccines and medical devices.[1]
Cooperation covers access and public-health threats
The declaration says the benefits should reach people across countries and social groups while reducing geographical gaps in care. International cooperation covers early detection and prediction of public-health crises, including emerging infectious diseases, and joint safeguards against cyberbiosecurity threats. For Jung, the commitment covers human life and dignity and basic care supported by AI for everyone. The declaration was presented in the setting of the World Bio Summit and the World Hospital Congress.[1]
