PeopleofSuperintelligence

Public voice

Haksoo Ko

Also known as 고학수

Haksoo Ko is a Seoul National University law professor whose research examines AI policy and personal information protection. He studied economics and law at Seoul National University and Columbia, then practiced law with firms in New York and Seoul before teaching at SNU. At SNU, he directed the Center for Law & Economics and coauthored research on AI hiring and employment discrimination. From October 2022 to October 2025, he chaired South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission and served on the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Advisory Body on AI. He returned to Seoul National University in October 2025 and is director of its Center for Law & Economics as of October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 1989–2001

    Economics and law degrees

    He earns a B.A. in economics at Seoul National University in 1989 and an M.A. in economics there in 1991. Columbia awards him a J.D. in 1998 and a Ph.D. in economics in 2001.

  2. By 2010

    Law practice and SNU professorship

    Before beginning his academic career, he practices law with firms in New York and Seoul. He becomes a professor at Seoul National University School of Law in 2010.

  3. 2014–2022

    Directing SNU’s law and economics center

    From 2014 to 2022, he directs Seoul National University’s Center for Law & Economics. In 2019, he coauthors with Do Hyun Park and Haebin Jeong a paper on AI and employment discrimination, focusing on blind recruitment and the paradox of the veil. It uses information economics to examine when limits on applicant information can address discrimination.

  4. October 2022–October 2025

    Chairing Korea’s privacy commission

    He begins a three-year term as chair of South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission in October 2022. In November 2023, he co-chairs the public side of the commission’s Public-Private Policy Council for Artificial Intelligence and Privacy.

  5. 2023–2024

    UN AI advisory body

    From 2023 to 2024, he serves on the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence.

  6. 2025–2026

    Senior and emeritus fellow roles

    He becomes a Future of Privacy Forum Senior Fellow in 2025 and an IAPP Emeritus Fellow in 2026.

  7. October 2025

    Returning to Seoul National University

    In October 2025, he returns to Seoul National University after completing his three-year appointment at the Personal Information Protection Commission.

  8. As of October 2026

    Professor and center director

    As of October 2026, he is a professor at Seoul National University School of Law and directs its Center for Law & Economics. His research covers personal information protection and AI policy.

  1. Google had the most people shaping AI every year from 2014 to 2025Our estimates of which organizations employed the most people shaping AI from 1961 to 2025, with a year-by-year chart.
  2. The United States employs an estimated 53% of people in our data with a known employment countryOur estimates of where AI careers are concentrated now and how countries’ shares of dated positions changed over time.
  3. 46% of living people in our data with known birth and employment countries work outside their birth countryOur estimate of cross-border careers in AI, from country of birth and the country of each current organization.
  4. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionOur estimates of where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led, from education records in cited biographies.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Haksoo Ko yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Director Haksoo Ko | Research and Major Publications | Center for Law & Economics, Seoul National University cle.re.kr. Checked 19 October 2026.
  2. Contributors | The Cambridge Handbook of Responsible Artificial Intelligence cambridge.org. Checked 19 October 2026.
  3. Deployment of Artificial Intelligence Technology and Law and Economics of Employment Discrimination kci.go.kr. Checked 19 October 2026.
  4. Haksoo Ko Officially Appointed to Lead PIPC kimchang.com. Checked 19 October 2026.
  5. Public-Private Policy Council Launched for Developing Artificial Intelligence Governance Framework pipc.go.kr. Checked 19 October 2026.
  6. UN Secretary-General launches AI advisory body on risks, opportunities and international governance india.un.org. Checked 19 October 2026.
  7. Initial Principal Investigator’s Message ctai.snu.ac.kr. Checked 19 October 2026.