Seoul: The government will strengthen artificial intelligence-based medical services, including telemedicine for those living in remote regions, Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said Thursday. "It is a fundamental right of the people to receive necessary medical services at the right time regardless of where we live," Han said during a government policy coordination meeting. "We will utilize AI to fill in the gaps in regional, core and public medical services."

According to Yonhap News Agency, Han stated that AI will be used to support telemedicine for those struggling to access face-to-face medical care and to secure the golden time for emergency patients, a key window of opportunity to ensure the highest chance of survival and prevent permanent harm. "Additionally, we will enable the people to monitor their health conditions on their own, while building the foundation for a Korean-style sovereign medical AI through the establishment of a health and medical data hub that integrates scattered data," Han said.

"However, introducing cutting-edge technologies itself should not be the objective. What's important is how we can protect the people's lives and health through this," she emphasized, adding that extra care should be taken to ensure the protection of personal information.

Also discussed during the meeting were measures to reduce traffic accident deaths. Han mentioned that 2,549 people lost their lives in traffic accidents last year and the government aims to reduce such deaths by 30 percent by 2030. The primary focus will be on enhancing pedestrian safety through measures such as extending walk signals using AI and installing traffic lights for right-turning vehicles at crosswalks, she explained.