Leading South Korean law firm Shin & Kim has appointed Jong-In Yoon, the former chairman of the Personal Information Protection Commission, as a senior advisor to spearhead the establishment of a comprehensive AI-related practice group.

The group, named the AI & Data Center, is co-chaired by Yoon and Jae-You Choi, former vice-minister of the Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning. The group will work closely with partners such as Joe Juneyoung Jang, who specializes in ICT, and TMT and data privacy expert Jeong Ho Ahn.

With the increasing adoption of AI by businesses and individuals, the number of legal issues related to intellectual property infringements and privacy violations has been on the rise. The EU is expected to implement its AI Act in the first half of this year, and discussions on regulations are ongoing in other countries, including the U.S., South Korea, and Japan.

In a statement, the firm highlighted that the AI & Data Center aims to provide comprehensive legal and policy advisory services. This will assist clients in the AI industry address and overcome various challenges associated with utilizing AI technologies and offering data-driven services.

Yoon, a seasoned public servant with over three decades of experience, served as the chairman of the Personal Information Protection Commission from 2020 to 2022. Previously, Yoon held positions at various government offices, such as the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Government Innovation Organization and the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs' Creative Government Organization, both in the role of director.

Choi joined Shin & Kim in 2017 as a senior advisor after working for four years at the Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning. Before his tenure at the ministry, he built his career for nearly 30 years at various government offices, including approximately 10 years at the Ministry of Information and Communication.