The Korean Academy of Film Arts introduces a dual traffic-light framework and mandatory process documentation to govern generative AI use across its curriculum

The Korean Film Council (KOFIC, Chairperson Han Sang-jun) and its Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA, President Cho Geun-sik) have announced the launch and implementation of the Guidelines for the Use of Generative AI in Creative Education. While universities across South Korea have previously issued general AI usage policies, KAFA's guidelines mark the first instance of a domestic film education institution establishing a framework specifically tailored to the field of film and creative arts education.

The guidelines are designed to respond to the growing integration of generative AI tools across all stages of film production. Their overarching aim is to enable KAFA students to explore and embrace emerging technologies while preserving what the institution calls the "filmmaker's unique voice" and a distinctly cinematic sensibility.

The framework is built on three foundational principles. The first, Creative Agency, establishes that AI functions solely as an assistive tool — creative decisions within a given work must remain under the intentional control of the creator. The second, Transparency, requires that any use of AI be disclosed openly, regardless of the production stage at which it occurs. The third, Ethics and Responsibility, prohibits AI usage that infringes upon the rights of others, and holds creators personally accountable for any resulting legal or ethical consequences.

At the operational level, KAFA has implemented what it terms a dual traffic-light system. Under this framework, all courses are classified into three categories: Red (AI use prohibited), Yellow (AI use permitted with restrictions), and Green (AI use actively encouraged). Individual AI activities are similarly tiered: Red (prohibited as a general rule), Yellow (permitted conditionally, subject to submission of a process documentation note), and Green (permitted by default, with prior approval required if the course itself falls under the Red category). This layered classification is intended to provide comprehensive governance across the full range of scenarios that may arise in a film education setting. The guidelines also offer major-specific guidance — covering directing, cinematography, producing, animation, and sound — identifying concrete instances where AI use is encouraged or should be avoided, in order to maximize real-world applicability.

"It is meaningful that KAFA has taken the lead among Korean film education institutions in presenting AI usage guidelines specifically tailored to film education," said President Cho Geun-sik. "These guidelines are not final — we will continue to refine them through ongoing curriculum operations. We hope that by educating filmmakers who are at the forefront of change, we can make a significant contribution to the future development of Korean cinema."

The guidelines took effect across KAFA's various programs beginning in March of this year. The full text of the Guidelines for the Use of Generative AI in Creative Education is available on the KOFIC website (www.kofic.or.kr).