Choi Jonghyun Academic Foundation Publishes Report: "The Era of AI Sovereignty, South Korea's Choice"

Chairman Choi Taewon Personally Participates

The Science and Technology Innovation Committee of the Choi Jonghyun Academic Foundation announced on January 14 that it has published a report titled "The Era of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Sovereignty, South Korea's Choice." Choi Taewon, Chairman of SK Group and Chairman of the Choi Jonghyun Academic Foundation, personally participated and led a comprehensive discussion on industrial strategies and social implications surrounding AI sovereignty.

Image from the Choi Jonghyun Academic Foundation report titled "The Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Sovereignty, South Korea's Choice." Choi Jonghyun Academic Foundation

This report begins by addressing the "pressure to catch up" that has dominated Korean society. As competition over large-scale AI models intensifies, particularly between the United States and China, anxiety and urgency are growing in South Korea, with concerns about falling behind unless the country responds quickly. In response, the report suggests that what is needed now is not speed but direction, not just action but strategy. It points out that if the country becomes too absorbed in the speed of technological competition and fails to clearly define national objectives and the scope of responsibility, its AI strategy will be unstable from the outset.

This report was planned based on in-depth discussions by a future science and technology study group, which included AI experts from the Choi Jonghyun Academic Foundation's Science and Technology Innovation Committee and 12 external experts. The discussions were later finalized into the report through a full committee workshop.

From academia, participants included Kim Kieung, Distinguished Professor at the KAIST School of Computing and Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI; Kim Yongdae, Distinguished Professor at the KAIST School of Electrical Engineering and ICT; and Seo Youngjoo, Professor at the POSTECH Department of Computer Science and Director of the Artificial Intelligence Research Institute. From industry, participants included Kim Yoon, Chief Strategy Officer of Twelve Labs; Kim Jiwon, Head of AI Model Research at SK Telecom; Park Sunghyun, CEO of Rebellion; and Sung Nakho, Head of Hyperscale AI Technology at Naver Cloud.

Kim Yuseok, CEO of the Choi Jonghyun Academic Foundation, stated in the foreword, "AI sovereignty is not a declaration that we will build everything ourselves, but a strategic decision on how to set the boundaries between areas the nation must control and areas where global cooperation should be leveraged." He added, "What is needed now is not just keeping pace with the speed of technological competition, but also clearly defining direction, national objectives, and the scope of responsibility."