[2025 Audit] Deputy Prime Minister Paik Kyung-hoon: "Responsibility for Hacking Incidents... Fundamental Measures to Prevent Recurrence"

"AI Top 3 Impossible Without Robust Digital Safety System"
"Securing 200,000 GPUs by 2030 and More Initiatives"

Paik Kyunghoon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT, has expressed his determination to mobilize every possible means to ensure digital safety.

Paik Kyunghoon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT, is delivering opening remarks at the National Assembly Science, Technology, Information and Communication Committee's audit held at the Government Sejong Complex on the 13th. Photo by Noh Kyungjo

On the 13th, during the National Assembly Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting and Communications Committee's audit held at the Government Sejong Complex, Deputy Prime Minister Paik stated, "As the minister responsible for digital safety, I feel a tremendous sense of responsibility regarding the recent series of large-scale hacking incidents," and made these remarks.

He continued, "I believe that without a robust digital safety system, becoming one of the world's top three AI powers is impossible," emphasizing, "We will establish fundamental measures to prevent recurrence." He also expressed regret for the inconvenience caused in postal and financial services due to the fire at the National Information Resources Service.

In addition to digital safety, he mentioned other policies that the Ministry of Science and ICT is focusing on to implement national tasks. The main policy goals include: ▲ advancing to become one of the world's top three countries in AI, ▲ creating new industries through advanced science and technology, and ▲ innovating the research and development (R&D) ecosystem.

Deputy Prime Minister Paik stated, "We will achieve our original goal of building 50,000 graphic processing units (GPUs) by 2028, ahead of the initial 2030 target, and will do our utmost to secure 200,000 units by 2030 by combining public and private sector capabilities. On this AI superhighway foundation, we will establish a basic AI society where all citizens can benefit."

He also said, "We will revise the AI legal framework to promote industry and build a safe and trustworthy AI ecosystem," adding, "Through a paradigm shift that integrates AI throughout the entire R&D process, we will enhance South Korea's scientific and technological competitiveness and improve the research environment and treatment so that outstanding science and technology talent can fully realize their potential."

Furthermore, he added, "Next year, we have allocated a record-high government R&D budget of 35.3 trillion won," and continued, "To enhance the outcomes and efficiency of R&D investment, we will improve systems and institutions to be more researcher-centered."