Meeting with K-Startups: Zuckerberg and Upstage Propose "Korean Version of Llama 3"
Also Meets President Yoon to Discuss AI Collaboration in Korea
South Korean artificial intelligence (AI) startup Upstage has reportedly met with Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, to propose the development of Korean and other national language versions of the next-generation large language model (LLM) 'LLaMA 3'. Zuckerberg responded positively, saying he would consider the proposal. Unlike LLMs released by major big tech companies such as OpenAI, which trained Korean language models with limited data, the intention behind 'LLaMA 3' is to create separate versions for each country’s language. If the proposal is accepted, it is expected to increase the accuracy of information and target each national market with differentiated models. On the third day of his visit to Korea, Zuckerberg met President Yoon Suk-yeol at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, to discuss cooperation plans.
According to the IT industry on the 29th, about 10 representatives and officials from domestic startups including Upstage and Devs United Games held a private meeting with Zuckerberg the day before. Kim Seong-hoon, CEO of Upstage, who attended the meeting, presented the idea of creating national language versions of LLaMA 3 to Zuckerberg. Tests of previous models showed that Korean language performance was lacking. However, due to the current shortage of Korean language data and related resources, Kim proposed a collaborative approach by selecting representative companies or developers from each country. It is reported that Zuckerberg responded positively to this proposal and said he would consider it.
An Upstage official said, "We suggested opening versions of LLaMA 3 in Korean and Japanese together to create a global impact," adding, "We look forward to collaborating on LLaMA 3."
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, is arriving in Seoul through the Seoul Gimpo Business Aviation Center in Gangseo-gu on the 27th. Visiting Korea for the first time in 10 years, CEO Zuckerberg is expected to meet President Yoon Suk-yeol and discuss AI semiconductor cooperation plans with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and LG Electronics CEO Cho Joo-wan during his 1-night, 2-day stay. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
If LLaMA 3 is released in various national language versions, it will have a distinctive advantage in dominating the global AI ecosystem. Most companies, including OpenAI and Google, develop LLMs based on English. However, when models are used in non-mainstream languages or languages with insufficient data, performance often declines.
LLaMA 3 is reportedly in the final stages of internal development. Strategic decisions regarding the model’s public release are still pending, but there is growing expectation that it will be unveiled within this year.
On the same day, Zuckerberg met President Yoon to discuss ways to strengthen the global alliance in the AI field. This was part of a concrete effort to enhance cooperation in AI, one of the three major game-changing technologies identified by the Korean government, and to secure a leading position in future industries.
President Yoon and Zuckerberg engaged in discussions on global trends and cooperation in advanced technologies. Topics reportedly included building semiconductor alliances for AI chip production, new AI platform businesses, and global collaboration.
In particular, President Yoon is said to have urged Meta, which has officially entered the AI technology competition, to actively seek ways to coexist and prosper through active cooperation with Korean companies. Since Zuckerberg had previously met with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, LG Electronics CEO Cho Joo-wan, and startup leaders in AI and extended reality (XR) fields, the request was to actively explore ways to strengthen cooperation with domestic companies in future sectors for mutual benefit.
Before meeting Zuckerberg, President Yoon received briefings from his aides on the latest trends and issues in advanced technologies such as AI, and also urged efforts to find ways for Meta and Korean companies to further strengthen cooperation and investment in future technologies.
A presidential office official told Asia Economy in a phone interview, "The meeting with Zuckerberg is part of Meta’s efforts to strengthen global cooperation, visiting key partner countries including Korea, Japan, and India," adding, "We understand that a wide range of discussions took place, including advanced technology trends and cooperation with Korea."
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