Choi Seonghwan, President of SK Networks, "We Will Lead the Expansion of Korea's AI Ecosystem"

SK Networks Hosts Global AI Investment Forum
Upstage and Phoenix Lab Present Technology Innovations

SK Networks held a global forum connecting domestic and international AI (artificial intelligence) startups with investors. The event brought together leading Korean startups such as Upstage and Phoenix Lab, who discussed strategies to strengthen the domestic AI ecosystem and enhance technological competitiveness.

On September 18, SK Networks announced that it hosted the "SK Networks AI WAVE 2025" event at Walkerhill Hotel & Resort on the 17th. This event, organized by SK Networks, aims to broaden exchanges between promising AI startups and investors by providing a platform for startups to present their future visions. Now in its second year, the event was first held in 2023.

The event was sponsored by "HF0 (Hacker Fellowship Zero)," a fund operator in which SK Networks has invested, and featured Upstage, the only startup selected for the government-led "Independent AI Foundation Model" project.

Choi Seonghwan, President of Business Division at SK Networks, stated, "In a rapidly changing society driven by technology, it is crucial to secure growth opportunities through the smooth exchange of information between innovative startups and the investors who support them, in order to avoid being left behind." He added, "Through this event, we aim to share SK Networks' AI investment portfolio and promote the expansion of the AI ecosystem where technology, capital, and vision are connected."

The event continued with introductions of startups in which SK Networks has invested directly or indirectly. Presentations included Upstage, which supports the development of AI models and systems based on large language model (LLM) technology, and Phoenix Lab, which launched Korea's first generative AI solution specialized for the pharmaceutical industry.

Choi Seonghwan, President of Business Division at SK Networks (left in the photo), and Kim Seonghun, CEO of Upstage, are having a discussion on the theme of "The Future of Sovereign AI." Provided by SK Networks.

One of the highlights of the event was a discussion session between President Choi and Kim Seunghun, CEO of Upstage, which drew significant attention from attendees. The two shared their views on the topic of "The Future of Sovereign AI," discussing ways to revitalize the national AI ecosystem and enhance technological competitiveness.

President Choi emphasized, "Through bold government-led investments and public-private partnership models, Korea must build its own AI ecosystem, ensure alignment with global standards, and expand the technological ecosystem by leveraging domestic and international partnerships."

He added, "By utilizing the advantages of sovereign AI optimized for Korea's legal, regulatory, and industrial environment, we expect to create customized models that offer differentiated value compared to global big tech's general-purpose models."

CEO Kim stated, "The key is to secure Korea's technological leadership by leading the LLM field and improving the completeness of the latest frontier models, leveraging globally recognized technological capabilities and execution power." He added, "We will work to strengthen Korea's global industrial competitiveness and AI capabilities for the new era."