earticle

영어

This study analyzes AI education policies in South Korea and Japan between 2017 and 2024, a period when the necessity of AI education gained increasing prominence. Both countries recognize AI education as strategically important, yet their policies diverge in underlying assumptions, orientations, and implementation trajectories. South Korea advances a strategy-driven, technology-oriented approach, positioning AI education as an instrument for economic growth and global competitiveness through sequential reforms such as national roadmaps, curriculum revisions, and digital textbooks. In contrast, Japan pursues a vision-driven, holistic trajectory under the framework of Society 5.0, embedding AI education within a broader ethical and socially oriented context. These contrasting assumptions shape how each country defines core competencies, structures curricula, and conceptualizes the role of AI in society. South Korea emphasizes technical skills such as coding, AI literacy, and data science, whereas Japan foregrounds social and ethical dimensions, including digital citizenship and the early integration of AI ethics. Taken together, the findings underscore the need for AI education policies that balance technical, cognitive, social, and ethical competencies. Ultimately, this comparative analysis contributes to the policy discourse of AI education by demonstrating how distinct national approaches can offer complementary insights for future-oriented AI education strategies.