[Reporter’s Notebook] Memories from 20 Years Ago Resurface at Bae Kyunghoon’s Confirmation Hearing

The Appointment of the Minister of Science and ICT Must Be Expedited

"Even in difficult circumstances, I did my best both in fulfilling my military service and in my work at the company."

Bae Kyunghoon, the nominee for Minister of Science and ICT, sent this reply to a reporter's question on July 13, just one day before his confirmation hearing.

The reason the reporter questioned Bae dates back to a reporting experience from 20 years ago. In 2004, while covering the capital market, the reporter spent over two years reporting on the attempted leakage of national strategic technology related to Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) centering on a company called 3R, as well as the damages suffered by its shareholders. The downfall of a CEO, once celebrated as the youngest PhD from Seoul National University and a symbol of the venture boom, left an indelible pain and significant losses for many. Minority shareholders incurred losses, and weaknesses were exposed in the management of national strategic technology. It is said that Bae fulfilled his military duty as a specialized research personnel at this company.

Some have scrutinized the salary Bae received at 3R, claiming it was a privilege. The reporter disagrees. At that time, it was not uncommon for startup founders to abuse the alternative military service system to avoid active duty, only to end up being drafted as regular soldiers. In contrast, Bae reportedly moved between three different companies to complete his specialized research personnel service. Those who have experienced this system recall that they were always in a subordinate position to the companies. If there had been any special privileges, wouldn't Bae have completed his alternative service at a single company?

In the early 2000s, information and communication technologies such as internet telephony, digital video recorders (DVR), and internet portals were at the forefront. Companies like Saerom Technology, Naver, IDIS, Daum Communications (now Kakao), and NCSoft were prime examples. They left a significant mark on Korea's IT sector. It was also a time when Korea's competitiveness rapidly increased thanks to high-speed internet and wireless mobile communications.

Yet, there was darkness amid the cheers. Some young founders who achieved great success at an early age fell into temptation. The CEO who once tearfully pleaded before 3R shareholders was later convicted in court. As Bae mentioned in the confirmation hearing, the 30 or so employees were likely victims as well.

Steel becomes stronger through forging. This is why those who have faced hardship are needed in our artificial intelligence (AI) industry. Korean AI is clearly lagging behind. There are concerns about a decline in national competitiveness. Still, we cannot simply give up. Bae's perseverance and passion for research likely formed the foundation for his role as the director of LG AI Research, where he, as someone educated entirely in Korea, developed the country's leading AI foundation model, EXAONE. Without his efforts, would EXAONE, which the reporter now uses on a PC, even exist? During the confirmation hearing, Bae's strong determination to lead the advancement of Korean AI was evident.

Finding hope in the midst of setbacks and pioneering the future are essential qualities in the AI field. The problem is time. The pace of AI development is changing by the day. This is why President Lee Jaemyung, who selected Bae as the nominee, cannot delay appointing a Minister of Science and ICT. Korea must urgently expand the stalled AI superhighway. There is no time to lose.