Four Regional AI Transformation and Demonstration Projects Included
Domestic AI Semiconductor, SMR, and Others Also Exempted from Pre-Feasibility Study
The Ministry of Science and ICT has decided to exempt seven projects, including those related to artificial intelligence (AI) technology development, from the preliminary feasibility study (pre-feasibility study). The goal is to accelerate Korea's rise as one of the world's top three AI powerhouses.
The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 22nd that, under the leadership of Park Ingyu, Director General of the Science and Technology Innovation Bureau, it held the '6th National Research and Development Project Evaluation General Committee in 2025' and exempted seven projects deemed urgent for national policy from the pre-feasibility study. In addition, the ministry finalized the result of one project from the third round of pre-feasibility studies conducted last year.
In-gyu Park, Director General of the Science and Technology Innovation Bureau at the Ministry of Science and ICT, is presiding over the '6th National Research and Development Project Evaluation General Committee in 2025' on the afternoon of the 22nd at the National Science and Technology Advisory Council's main conference room in the Gwanghwamun Kyobo Building, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Provided by the Ministry of Science and ICT
Earlier that morning, at the plenary session of the National Science and Technology Advisory Council held at the Presidential Office, the Ministry of Science and ICT reviewed and approved the '2026 National R&D Project Budget Allocation and Adjustment Plan.' The major R&D projects allocated and adjusted by the Science and Technology Innovation Bureau, which were subject to the advisory council's review, amounted to 30.1 trillion won, an increase of 5.3 trillion won from this year, surpassing the 30 trillion won mark for the first time.
The committee finalized the exemption from the pre-feasibility study for the seven projects designated as national policy initiatives. First, the pre-feasibility study was waived for four projects aimed at establishing regional AI innovation hubs and supporting technology development in Gwangju, Daegu, Jeonbuk, and Gyeongnam. Through these projects, the government plans to utilize high-performance computing resources from regional data centers to develop region-specific AI transformation (AX) models and products, and to enhance products and services through on-site validation.
The projects exempted from the pre-feasibility study include: ▲ AX Demonstration Valley Project (Gwangju), ▲ Regional AX Innovation Technology Development Project (Daegu), ▲ Collaborative Intelligence Physical AI-based Software Platform R&D Ecosystem Project (Jeonbuk), and ▲ Human-AI Collaborative LAM Development and Global Demonstration Project (Gyeongnam).
In addition, the committee also exempted three projects from the pre-feasibility study: ▲ the domestic AI semiconductor development project, which involves collaboration between demand companies and semiconductor design specialists; ▲ the technology development project for the localization of small modular reactor (SMR) manufacturing; and ▲ the project to construct a replacement for Onnuri-ho, Korea's first comprehensive ocean research vessel.
The seven projects granted exemption from the pre-feasibility study will undergo a review to assess the appropriateness of their business plans, after which the project details and total budgets will be finalized. Full-scale implementation is scheduled to begin in 2026.
The committee also finalized the implementation of the pre-feasibility study result for the 'Pan-Ministerial Advanced Medical Device Project,' which was selected in November last year. This project supports the entire cycle from basic and fundamental research to commercialization, clinical trials, and regulatory approval for the development of advanced and essential medical devices using AI and other digital technologies, through collaboration among relevant ministries. The project will run for seven years from 2026 to 2032, with a total budget of 940.8 billion won, of which 838.3 billion won will be funded by the government.
Park Ingyu, Director General of the Science and Technology Innovation Bureau, stated, "There was a sense of urgency and consensus across ministries that AI R&D investment cannot be delayed even for a moment, which is why the exemption from the pre-feasibility study for AI-related projects was decided so quickly." He added, "We will swiftly complete the mission of abolishing the preliminary feasibility study for national R&D projects and achieve system innovation so that the pre-feasibility study does not become an obstacle to securing Korea's technological competitiveness."
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