Government and Private Sector Discuss "For Korea to Become a Top 3 AI Power" at SK Summit

Session on 'National AI Strategy' Scheduled for the 5th
Expert Discussion at Seminar the Day Before
"Emphasis on Early Expansion of AI Infrastructure"

A forum to discuss the national AI strategy aimed at making the Republic of Korea one of the top three AI powers (G3) will be held at the 'SK AI Summit 2024.'

SK Telecom announced that the 'National AI Strategy' session, which reviews Korea's AI strategy, policy directions, and national competitiveness, will take place on the afternoon of the 5th at the COEX Auditorium, the main venue of the SK AI Summit.

Experts attending the 'National AI Strategy Seminar' held on the 4th are posing together. From the front row, second from the left: Ji-hyun Kim, Vice President of SK Management & Economic Research Institute; Soon-gu Han, Professor of Economics at Yonsei University; Seong-wook Heo, President of the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA); Young-sang Yoo, CEO of SK Telecom; Do-hyun Kang, 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT; Won-woo Lee, Professor at Seoul National University School of Law; Seung-hyun Son, Chairman of the Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA). Photo by SKT

In this session, Yeom Jae-ho, President of Taejae University and current Vice Chairman of the National AI Committee, will give a presentation titled "Korea's AI Strategy and Policy Directions." President Yeom will convey Korea's AI capabilities and potential, emphasizing the need for the government, companies, and the private sector to unite as 'one team' to leap forward as an AI G3.

This session was organized to continue the discussion on the national AI strategy, led by the government, at the corporate and private sector levels. Recently, the Presidential National AI Committee was launched, and the government announced its goal to become the third AI power (G3) after the United States and China by 2027.

The government also announced the '4 Major AI Flagship Projects' to achieve these goals, including a significant expansion of national AI computing infrastructure, private sector AI investments totaling 65 trillion KRW by 2027, achieving a 70% AI adoption rate in industrial sectors by 2030, and leading global AI governance.

Following the keynote presentation, a 45-minute panel discussion will be held with private members of the National AI Committee. Moderated by President Yeom, the panel will include Oh Hye-yeon, Professor of Computer Science at KAIST, Jung Shin-ah, CEO of Kakao, and Park Sung-hyun, CEO of Rebellion, who will engage in a dialogue together.

Earlier, on the afternoon of the first day of the SK AI Summit, the 4th, a 'National AI Strategy Seminar' for the AI G3 leap was held, where 25 experts participated in discussions. The seminar opened with a welcoming speech by Yoo Young-sang, CEO of SKT, and was attended by Seong Il-jong, Chairman of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly, and Kang Do-hyun, 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT.

On the 4th, the 'National AI Strategy Seminar' for advancing AI to G3 was held at the SK AI Summit. Yoo Young-sang, CEO of SK Telecom, is delivering the opening address at the seminar. Photo by SKT

At this event, experts shared opinions on the dynamics of competition in the AI era and the direction of a national AI strategy centered on infrastructure.

Kim Ji-hyun, Vice President of SK Management and Economic Research Institute and a presenter, outlined the direction of change as hyper-intelligence becomes full-scale across all industries, stating, "For Korea's AI industry ecosystem to take a leap forward with various AI solutions and services, a solid AI infrastructure must be supported."

Han Soon-gu, private member of the National AI Committee and Professor of Economics at Yonsei University, said, "Not only the United States but also competing countries aiming for AI G3 are making all-out efforts to build AI infrastructure. Korea must also secure competitiveness by early expansion of AI data centers and other infrastructure, and this process must be accompanied by the establishment of systems for various supports and industrial development."

President Yeom Jae-ho of Taejae University stated, "The national AI vision cannot be realized by the role of just one sector of society. It is highly meaningful that a place has been created where the government, private sector, academia, and research institutes can come together to pool wisdom."