Baek Kyunghoon: "Leaping Forward as a Full-Stack AI Supplier Nation... Korea to Take on Frontier Models" (Comprehensive)

Construction Begins on National AI Computing Center, Infrastructure Expansion Underway

Ministry Upgraded to Deputy Prime Minister Level After 17 Years, R&D Ecosystem Restored

Baek Kyunghoon: "Improving Organizational Culture... Expanding the

Baek Kyunghoon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT, is speaking at the "Ministry of Science and ICT Press Conference" held on the afternoon of the 29th at the Seoul Central Post Office in Jung-gu, Seoul. From left, Koo Hyukchae, First Vice Minister; Baek Kyunghoon, Deputy Prime Minister; and Park Inkyu, Head of the Science and Technology Innovation Headquarters.

Baek Kyunghoon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT, stated, "With even bolder and more comprehensive support, we will accelerate our leap forward as a nation supplying the full stack of artificial intelligence (AI) and produce tangible outcomes that the public can truly feel in their daily lives." He also emphasized that, just as Korea has developed eight noteworthy AI models within its available resources, it is now time to challenge the frontier AI models on par with those of the United States and China.

Marking the first anniversary of the Lee Jaemyung administration, Deputy Prime Minister Baek identified laying the foundation for Korea to become one of the top three AI powerhouses, restoring the research and development (R&D) ecosystem, and alleviating the burden on the public by ensuring basic communication rights as the core achievements. He stressed, "Going forward, we will achieve our goal of becoming a top-three AI powerhouse by developing independent AI models, securing cutting-edge graphics processing units (GPUs), and strengthening AI competencies for all citizens."

The Ministry of Science and ICT held a press conference in the main conference hall of the Seoul Central Post Office on the 29th to announce its key achievements over the past year. On that day, Deputy Prime Minister Baek said, "Currently, Korea is making steady progress toward becoming one of the top three AI powerhouses," adding, "In the second half of the year, we will release our second independent AI model to continue Korea's AI self-sufficiency, and we will begin construction of the National AI Computing Center to expand the infrastructure needed to lead the global technology race."

Secure 260,000 Advanced GPUs by 2030 Without Disruption

The Ministry of Science and ICT has made strengthening national AI competitiveness its top priority. As a result of encouraging independent AI development, Korea ranked third in major global evaluations such as Stanford University's AI Index and AAII, a global AI model performance assessment platform run by Artificial Analysis, a leading AI evaluation institution.

The government plans to secure 260,000 advanced GPUs, the backbone of national AI infrastructure, by 2030 without any setbacks. It is also supporting the application of independent AI models beyond the development stage, ensuring their expansion across all industries and public sectors, including semiconductor manufacturing, government administrative networks, and R&D budget reviews.

Deputy Prime Minister Baek particularly underscored that Korea must now take on the challenge of developing frontier AI models. He said, "Just as we have developed eight noteworthy AI models within our available resources, we can also rise to the challenge of frontier models if we make even more aggressive investments in GPUs and AI infrastructure." He added, "When artificial general intelligence (AGI) is achieved, the difference in speed will become exponential, and to reach AGI, we must strive for frontier models as well."

While private sector investment in infrastructure and models was lacking in the past, there are now ongoing discussions with the government to make investments that surpass the target of 260,000 GPUs, and active efforts are underway to utilize domestically produced neural processing units (NPUs).

Hyeon Hoon Bae, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT.

The government is also working to strengthen AI competency among all citizens. The number of AI Digital Learning Centers has nearly doubled from 37 to 69, with the number of people receiving AI training expanding from 910,000 to 1.3 million. The first-ever nationwide AI competition, held this year, is expected to attract participation from over 2 million people by the end of the year.

Deputy Prime Minister Baek announced, "The 'AI for All' project, which will provide AI services based on independent models to all citizens free of charge, will be introduced by the end of this year." He also stated that the service will remain free even after the project concludes in 2028. AI for All is a concept where every citizen owns their own AI agent, providing chatbot functionality and specialized models for seniors and marginalized groups who may find it difficult to use AI effectively.

The government is also working to foster a more dynamic R&D ecosystem. With a record-high R&D budget of 35.5 trillion won, up 20% from the previous year, the government is working to restore the research environment. The preliminary feasibility study system for R&D projects, which had been in place for 18 years, has been abolished, reducing the time from project proposal submission to budget allocation and adjustment from two years to five months. The project-based system (PBS), which had led to excessive competition for research contracts, has also been abolished. However, regarding the development of the aerospace sector, Deputy Prime Minister Baek explained, "With the current level of investment, it will be difficult for Korea to become one of the world's top five aerospace nations," adding, "The government is currently discussing what level of investment and development is needed going forward."

Baek Kyunghoon: "We Will Establish AI Development Teams and Strengthen Staffing"

With the Ministry of Science and ICT being promoted to a deputy prime minister-level department for the first time in 17 years, the Science and Technology Ministers' Meeting, launched in November last year, now serves as an interdepartmental coordination and cooperation platform. The previously fragmented technology management systems of each ministry have been unified, and the ministry is supporting the AI transformation (AX) of each department. However, there are calls for substantial empowerment, including additional staffing, infrastructure enhancement, and expanded authority, in line with the ministry's upgraded status.

In response, Deputy Prime Minister Baek said, "As someone from the private sector, I was initially concerned about the rigid organization and heavy workload when I was appointed minister, but by reforming the system of address and promoting flexible communication, the organizational culture is changing rapidly." He added, "In terms of power among ministries, it is important for the Ministry of Science and ICT to focus on the fundamentals and deliver results, which will enable collaboration with other ministries."

Deputy Prime Minister Baek remarked, "The Ministry of Science and ICT is like the government's own R&D institute. It is crucial to create a support system so that all ministries can utilize achievements not only in AI but in all fields of science and technology." He continued, "As we deliver clear results, more ministries now hope to work with us. We are setting up AI development teams and are also in the process of building a global AI hub, expanding our organization and strengthening our staffing as we prove the necessity of these initiatives one by one."

Finally, Deputy Prime Minister Baek concluded, "If the past year for the Ministry of Science and ICT has been about fostering hope for a better life and future through science, technology, and AI, then in the second year, we will focus on connecting the policies we have pursued so far to create synergy and results. In the AI sector, we plan to invest even more boldly to further solidify our capacity as one of the top three AI powerhouses."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.