Kang Dohyun, Vice Minister of Science and ICT, "We will elevate South Korea's international status in the AI field"

One Month Since Inauguration... Press Conference Held
Initiatives to Build Ecosystem Including AI Safety Meetings
Emphasis on Legislation and Importance of AI Semiconductors

Kang Do-hyun, Vice Minister of Science and ICT / Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Kang Dohyun, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, "This year, we must definitely work on creating an artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem," adding, "Regarding the side effects of AI being discussed internationally, we want to go beyond participation and take a central role."

Marking one month since his appointment, Vice Minister Kang held a press briefing at the Government Complex Sejong on the 2nd and made these remarks. He conveyed that during the past month, he has focused on listening to the difficulties faced by companies on the ground and developing improvement measures from the public’s perspective.

He recalled, "It has been 30 years since the ultra-high-speed information and communication network was established domestically," and said, "With the infrastructure in place, dynamic industries have been created."

He added, "Now AI is the key topic of innovation," and said that the Ministry of Science and ICT will be moving rapidly in April and May to build the AI ecosystem.

Next month, an AI Safety Summit co-hosted by Korea and the United Kingdom will be held. Vice Minister Kang said, "We are consulting with the UK once a week," and described it as "a very important event and an opportunity to raise our status."

Additionally, Vice Minister Kang emphasized the importance of low-power, high-efficiency AI semiconductors. He said, "The current AI ecosystem is not sustainable," adding, "Every time it operates, it consumes too much electricity. There is no need to grandly bring up the global environmental issues."

He noted, "The importance of new AI semiconductors is emerging, and our companies can keep up in this area," and said, "Global companies are also paying attention to Korean semiconductor companies that have strengths in hardware."

Furthermore, he expressed hope that digital sector legislation would definitely pass this year. In this regard, he mentioned the abolition bill of the Device Distribution Act, the AI Basic Act which defines the overall framework for the AI industry, and the amendment bill of the Software Promotion Act that lifts restrictions on large companies’ participation.

Regarding the business approval of the multinational low-earth orbit satellite company 'Starlink,' which is preparing to operate domestically, he said, "We are internally looking for areas that need close examination," and apologized, "It is not progressing as quickly as expected, but we are discussing to reach a conclusion." It is reported that technical verification such as radio wave intensity in the frequency band is currently underway.

Lastly, Vice Minister Kang also mentioned the recently formed policy consultative body between the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Communications Commission. He said, "We proposed it first, and the KCC readily agreed," adding, "After meeting, we found that our thoughts were just somewhat different, not polarized."

He likened the KCC to a 'friend' and explained, "We agreed to speak with one voice to persuade the National Assembly to abolish the Device Distribution Act," and said, "We will establish a hotline and frequently consult with the KCC Vice Chairman."