Restructured Dokpamo: Frontier AI Development and SPC Plan Remain Unclear

Dokpamo Participants Express Relief Over Project Continuation
Call for Urgent Clarification of Detailed Plans

Ryu Jemyung, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, is announcing the results of the second evaluation of the independent AI foundation model project at the Government Seoul Office Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on August 18, 2026. Photo by Yongjun Jo

The government has decided not to discontinue the development project for its independent artificial intelligence (AI) foundation model, known as Dokpamo, but instead to expand and restructure it into a two-track approach together with the “Frontier AI Development” project. However, since the specifics of the plan remain unclear, participating companies are facing increasingly complex calculations. The three finalists in the Dokpamo program after fierce competition and the second round of evaluations in August—SK Telecom, LG AI Research Institute, and Upstage—have expressed both relief at the government’s ongoing commitment to the project and heightened attention to future government policy as they weigh whether to participate in the upcoming Frontier AI project.

On October 2, Ryu Jemyung, Second Vice Minister of Science and ICT, held a press briefing with reporters at the Seoul office of the National Information Society Agency, stating, “The Dokpamo project will proceed as planned, and at the same time, the development of Frontier AI will also be promoted. Although the two projects are separate, they both involve the development of independent AI models. The goal for independent AI model development will be further strengthened, and its scope and depth will continue to expand.” He added that the existing Dokpamo model will continue to broaden its use in industrial and public sectors, and that the two top-tier teams to be selected in February next year will receive GPU and other support according to the original plan.

The Ministry of Science and ICT will select the final two companies as initially scheduled in the third phase of assessments for Dokpamo in February next year. While the Dokpamo project itself will continue, the government aims to build a broader AI ecosystem through a two-track strategy: rather than concentrating benefits on a single company, it plans to simultaneously introduce a separate “Frontier AI Development” project to allow diverse players such as SMEs and startups to participate.

A company preparing for the third phase evaluation of Dokpamo said, “We have been running full-throttle to win selection for Dokpamo, and we are relieved to hear that the project will not be discontinued and government support will continue. However, we need to see detailed plans on how the two final companies selected for Dokpamo will generate synergy and link up with the Frontier AI Development project.”

Another company commented, “We sympathize with the government’s desire to accelerate so as not to fall behind in the global AI race. Since AI development cannot be a short-term endeavor but requires ongoing investment and attention, it is necessary for both the public and private sectors to join forces. As recent hacking incidents reveal, AI is becoming a tangible threat, so public-private collaboration must be tightly planned so the nation can foster AI as a core strategic asset.”

However, the IT industry has indicated it will decide on whether to participate after reviewing detailed plans, since there are still many outstanding issues as the government prepares for the Frontier AI development project—a project with a budget allocation of KRW 4.7 trillion. The government plans to establish detailed execution plans as soon as the budget is confirmed by the National Assembly this December, and to select next year’s Frontier AI model participants as early as February or March. A company representative said, “There are still no concrete details on what specific incentives will be offered and how resources will be distributed if the final Dokpamo winners join the Frontier AI Development project or the industrial expansion track, nor on the establishment of any special purpose companies (SPC). The government needs to communicate more actively with the industry to rapidly prepare a detailed action plan.”

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