[Lee Jae Myung's Power Duo] "AI Twin Engines" Ha Jungwoo and Bae Kyunghoon [AK Radio]

Ha Jungwoo from Naver and Bae Kyunghoon from LG Take the Lead
"Developing Korean-Style AI": Two Key Figures Born in the 1970s Share a Vision

The key figures who will lead the AI policy of the Lee Jae Myung administration, which has pledged to make South Korea one of the world's top three AI powerhouses, have been revealed. The two central figures, both born in the 1970s, are Ha Jungwoo, Senior Presidential Secretary for AI Future Planning, and Bae Kyunghoon, the nominee for Minister of Science and ICT. Ha spearheaded the development of Naver's HyperCLOVA X, while Bae led the design of LG's large-scale artificial intelligence model, Exaone. Both are from science and engineering backgrounds?Ha from the Department of Computer Science at Seoul National University, and Bae from the Department of Electronic Engineering at Kwangwoon University?and have consistently emphasized the need to develop a "Korean-style AI."

Ha was born in 1977 in Busan. He graduated from Gudeok High School in Busan and earned his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in computer science from Seoul National University. He previously served as Head of Naver Cloud AI Lab, Co-Chair of the AI Future Forum, and Head of the Hyper-scale Public AI Team at the Presidential Digital Platform Government Committee. He was also Director of Naver Future AI Center and Naver Cloud AI Innovation Center before being appointed Senior Presidential Secretary for AI Future Planning under the Lee Jae Myung administration. He is a deep learning expert who oversaw Naver’s overall AI technology.

The keyword most associated with Ha is "sovereign AI." While global AI models are valuable, he believes it is essential for South Korea to secure its own AI models, emphasizing that this is a matter of national strategic industry. As a co-representative of the National Coalition for the Realization of a Science and Technology Society, he has also argued for the creation of a dedicated organization for AI, specifically an AI Digital Innovation Department. Kang Hoonshik, Chief Presidential Secretary, conveyed President Lee’s remarks: "I hope the experiences Ha gained as Naver’s Innovation Center Director will be reflected in national policy. By entrusting authority and responsibility to an expert who understands the field, we must rapidly enhance our national AI competitiveness."

This trend applies equally to Bae Kyunghoon, the nominee for Minister of Science and ICT. Born in 1976 in Seoul, Bae is one year older than Ha. He graduated from Daesin High School and received his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in electronic engineering from Kwangwoon University. He also earned an MBA from Columbia Southern University. Bae has served as Head of the AI Initiative at LG Science Park, Chair of the Hyper-scale AI Promotion Council, member of the National AI Committee, and Director of LG AI Research Institute.

Bae was responsible for developing LG’s large language model AI, Exaone. In April, the Stanford University Research Institute in the United States selected 20 "noteworthy AI models worldwide," and LG Exaone was included on the list. In 2023, Bae received the Silver Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit in recognition of his achievements in the commercialization of hyper-scale AI. Kang Hoonshik, Chief Presidential Secretary, explained the reason for nominating Bae as follows: "He is someone we worked hard to recruit for the goal of becoming one of the world’s top three AI powerhouses, and we expect him, together with Ha Jungwoo, Senior Presidential Secretary for AI Future Planning, to enhance our competitiveness in AI technology."

Bae has consistently argued, "We can develop AI that outperforms China’s DeepSeek and is more affordable. And we must do it quickly." He has also emphasized, "If we do not pursue the development of our own national AI foundation model, it means abandoning a national strategic asset." This aligns with Ha’s advocacy for "sovereign AI." President Lee Jae Myung fundamentally shares this view. The president, the senior secretary, and the ministerial nominee are all in agreement that South Korea must have its own AI model. The Lee Jae Myung administration has made clear the direction it will take regarding AI.

On the 20th, Bae attended the completion ceremony of the data center in Ulsan and stated, "If we develop five or six noteworthy AI models in Korea, talented individuals from around the world will take interest and apply. It is not easy for our country to compete with global big tech companies in terms of financial resources. Instead, we need to develop specialized AI in areas such as bio AI and manufacturing AI to secure global competitiveness. By doing so, we must move toward changing the paradigm."

President Lee Jae Myung delivers an encouragement speech at the launch ceremony of the Ulsan Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Center held at the Ulsan Exhibition Convention Center on the 20th. Photo by Yonhap News

Both Ha Jungwoo and Bae Kyunghoon, now in their forties, are well-versed in the AI industry, have hands-on development experience, and have previously advised on government policy, leading many to expect that they will drive policy initiatives with authority. They are only one year apart in age and share similar fundamental views on the future direction of AI. However, concerns have been raised regarding their ability to command their organizations and the possibility that an excessive focus on "sovereign AI" might lead to the neglect of other important areas. There is keen interest in whether these two key figures, who hold the reins of South Korea’s AI policy, will be able to create new future growth engines for the country.

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