South Korean hospital network adopts internal AI ethics framework

Catholic Medical Center has become the first hospital group in South Korea to introduce an internal code of ethics governing the use of artificial intelligence in clinical settings, as healthcare institutions across the country expand their integration of AI-driven tools into diagnosis and treatment.

The guidelines, announced on 8 May, define AI as a means of augmenting rather than replacing human-centred care. Physicians are required to review and validate AI-generated recommendations before applying them in clinical practice, and the framework warns against overreliance on automated systems.

The code places patient dignity, safety and holistic treatment at its centre, and sets out data protection standards to govern how sensitive medical information is handled.

The framework draws in part on ethical principles established by the Vatican in its 2025 guidance on artificial intelligence, reflecting a broader convergence of technological and moral considerations in healthcare governance.

Catholic Medical Center operates several institutions across South Korea, including Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital.

The announcement comes as hospitals in South Korea and across the region move to formalise internal governance structures for AI, amid growing regulatory and public scrutiny of how clinical AI systems are deployed and overseen.