Legal Policy Review on Integrated Governance in Science and Technology: Focusing on the Framework Act on Artificial Intelligence

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is driving transformative innovation across all sectors of society and has become a pivotal element in the competition for global technological leadership. As nations vie for dominance in the AI frontier, the widespread adoption of this technology has introduced complex legal, ethical, and social challenges. In response, the European Union enacted its landmark AI Act in early 2024, seeking to balance technological development with robust risk management and the promotion of international standards for AI. Following this global trend, South Korea passed the Framework Act on Artificial Intelligence in December 2024 to establish a legal basis for addressing the multifaceted issues of AI deployment. However, the Act has drawn criticism for its abstract and declarative nature, raising concerns that it fails to adequately address the practical needs of private industry and the research sector. This study analyzes South Korea's Framework Act on Artificial Intelligence to propose an integrated legal-policy governance framework for the nation's science and technology sector. Such a framework is essential for both fostering AI innovation and effectively mitigating its associated risks. Current legislative and administrative initiatives, while responsive to the emergence of new technologies like AI, have exposed significant institutional limitations. These include overlapping ministerial jurisdictions, ambiguous regulatory authority, inadequate legal enforcement, unclear technical standardization processes, and inefficient budget allocation. The challenge is magnified by the explosive growth of convergent technologies that are increasingly integrated with the human body, such as brain-computer interfaces and AI-driven genetic engineering. Existing administrative structures are ill-suited to govern the complexities of these advancements. This highlights the need for a paradigm shift towards long-term, integrative governance models that transcend conventional regulatory boundaries and bureaucratic norms. To address these complex issues, this study utilizes the Quintuple Helix Model as its analytical framework. This model emphasizes a collaborative governance approach that integrates five critical sectors: government, industry, academia, civil society, and the environment. This paper argues for the urgent need to establish a practical and adaptive governance structure to ensure the effective implementation of AI policy and regulation. It concludes by offering concrete legislative and administrative recommendations to enhance the efficacy of the Framework Act on Artificial Intelligence.