The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) welcomes the Republic of Korea's voluntary contributions of €50,000 to support the OPCW's upcoming Global Conference on the Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in advancing the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). The conference aims to holistically examine the implications of AI technology within the framework of the CWC.
The contribution was formalised on 12 July 2024 in a signing ceremony held between the Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the OPCW, H.E. Mr Hyoung-chan Choe, and the OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Fernando Arias, at the OPCW's Headquarters in The Hague.
Ambassador Choe stated: "We highly appreciate the steady progress made by the Technical Secretariat in strengthening its capabilities in science and technology, with an aim of the effective implementation of the CWC."
"As the first State Party to make voluntary contributions to the ChemTech Centre Project, the Republic of Korea has been actively supporting various initiatives led by the Secretariat in the fields of science and technology, including Artificial Intelligence. In line with this commitment, we have also decided to make a voluntary contribution to the AI Conference to be held in the Kingdom of Morocco in October 2024," he highlighted.
"We hope that this Conference will serve as a valuable platform to discuss both opportunities and challenges presented by AI in the implementation of the CWC," he added.
The Director-General stated: "The Republic of Korea's important contribution towards this timely conference on AI and the Chemical Weapons Convention is deeply appreciated. AI is a powerful tool that is transforming the chemical sciences. We must be prepared to address both the opportunities and challenges that it could present for the implementation of the CWC. This conference will foster dialogue among experts to ensure AI is used responsibly and contribute positively to global peace and security."
The conference, to be hosted in Morocco from 22 to 24 October 2024, will bring together leading experts from the fields of science, industry, and government, and facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the role of AI in CWC implementation.
The conference will explore three focus areas:
The role and impact of AI in Chemistry from the lens of evolving science and policy discourse;
impact and challenges of AI on the chemical industry at-large; and
challenges presented by AI in counterterrorism and implementation of CWC.
The Director-General encouraged all OPCW Member States to consider supporting the Organisation's priority activities, including this conference, through voluntary and in-kind contributions.
Background
The Republic of Korea has been an active member of the OPCW since the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force in 1997 and is a member of the OPCW Executive Council, the governing body of the Organisation.
To date, the Republic of Korea has supported diverse OPCW projects and activities, including the OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology, with voluntary contributions amounting to over €2.8 million.
As the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, the OPCW, with its 193 Member States, oversees the global endeavour to permanently eliminate chemical weapons. Since the Convention's entry into force in 1997, it is the most successful disarmament treaty eliminating an entire class of weapons of mass destruction.
On 7 July 2023, the OPCW verified that all chemical weapons stockpiles declared by the 193 States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention since 1997 - totalling 72,304 metric tonnes of chemical agents - have been irreversibly destroyed under the OPCW's strict verification regime.
For its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW received the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.
