Culture Ministry Launches Culture Technology Alliance, Pursues "Culture-Driven AI"

214 Participants from 190 Companies, Creator Groups and Academic Institutions
Four Divisions to Cover Games, Video, Music and Story-Based Content

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has launched a public-private partnership, the Cultural Technology Alliance, to explore new possibilities in technology and the content industry driven by artificial intelligence (AI).

The ministry said it held the launch ceremony for the first Cultural Technology Alliance on Oct. 15 at the Eliena Hotel in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, together with the Korea Culture Technology Planning and Evaluation Institute, an affiliate of the Korea Creative Content Agency.

Through the alliance, the ministry will pursue a research and development (R&D) policy for “culture-driven AI,” which takes the needs of the cultural sector and creators’ imagination as starting points for technology development. The policy reflects the view that industry practitioners and R&D must be closely integrated to turn the experience of content companies and creators into industrial competitiveness in the AI era.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwiyoung performs a ceremony marking the launch of the 2026 inaugural Cultural Technology Alliance at the Eliena Hotel Gangnam Convention Hall in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 15th. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The first alliance brings together 214 people from 190 organizations, including large, midsize and small companies, solo creators, and experts from academia and research institutions. Participants include four large companies, five midsize companies, 118 small companies, and 34 academic and research institutions. The alliance will operate through December 2026.

The alliance will operate through four divisions: interactive game content, video and media content, music and performance content, and story source content.

The game division will discuss technology development to improve game development efficiency and enhance interaction with users. Participants include Nexon Korea and Smilegate.

The video and media division will discuss improving video production efficiency and visual expression through AI, as well as innovating the viewing experience. Participants include CJ ENM, CJ 4DPLEX, MBC C&I, and Giantstep.

The music and performance division will discuss technology development to support music creation and audio production and listening, and to enhance the sense of presence at performances. Participants include Kakao Entertainment, SBS, Galaxy Corporation, and Gaudio Lab.

The story source content division will discuss R&D strategies to support creators in developing story ideas and expanding source content across various media. Participants include Jakga Company, Muhayu, Hanteo Global, and A2Z Entertainment.

The ministry will gather input from all participating members and establish separate strategic planning groups for each field, which will hold regular monthly meetings. The groups plan to identify about 100 technology needs submitted by members and use them to develop mid- to long-term investment strategies and identify needs for new R&D projects in 2028. A related seminar will also be held in December 2026.

R&D needs identified by the alliance will be reviewed for market potential, urgency, and technical feasibility, then developed into strategic priorities. The ministry plans to set priorities and incorporate them into mid- to long-term cultural technology investment strategies and plans for new R&D projects in 2028.

Minister Choi Hwiyoung said, “The needs of the cultural sector and creators’ imagination should guide the direction of artificial intelligence (AI) technology development. We will incorporate challenges identified jointly by companies, creators, and researchers into R&D policy to address problems in the field and create new content and business opportunities.”

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