South Korea and WHO announce declaration on responsible AI in healthcare

South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare and the World Health Organization (WHO) have jointly announced a declaration calling for the safe and responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare and more equitable access to its benefits.

The Seoul Declaration on AI in Healthcare was announced on 21 October by South Korean Health Minister Jeong Eun Kyeong and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the 2026 World Bio Summit in Seoul, co-hosted by the South Korean government and WHO.

The declaration calls for international cooperation to ensure that AI advances benefit people across countries and socioeconomic groups, rather than being concentrated in particular regions or communities. It also emphasises the need to translate commitments to responsible AI into practical action.

The announcement was accompanied by a leaders’ dialogue on implementing the declaration, bringing together representatives from WHO, the International Hospital Federation, the Gates Foundation and other global health organisations and institutions. Discussions covered the foundations needed for AI innovation, responsible implementation in healthcare and international cooperation to support sustainable development.

The summit examined how AI is changing biomedical research, drug development, diagnosis and hospital operations. One session explored the emergence of AI systems capable of formulating scientific hypotheses and designing experiments, alongside multi-agent AI, foundation models trained on biological data and virtual cells for optimising clinical development.

Participants also discussed the potential applications of these technologies in areas including paediatric diseases, rare diseases, drug discovery and vaccine development. Questions included how to address gaps in clinical validation evidence, mitigate risks associated with AI-driven scientific research and ensure that resulting advances are accessible globally.

Other discussions examined AI across the healthcare value chain, from research and clinical development to medical device regulation and hospital operations. Topics included AI-driven drug discovery, regulatory approval for AI medical devices and the use of value-based healthcare approaches to help reduce disparities in access to care.

The summit also included discussions on funding and partnerships to support the development of AI technologies, particularly given the substantial infrastructure requirements and long-term investment associated with biomedical research.

Bilateral meetings between South Korea and visiting health officials from Türkiye, Armenia, Tunisia and Qatar were also scheduled to address AI in healthcare, alongside other areas of health cooperation.

The two-day World Bio Summit, held on 21–22 October, brings together government officials, international organisations, healthcare institutions, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, AI businesses and academic experts to discuss biohealth innovation.

The full text of the Seoul Declaration is due to be included in the summit’s digital programme.