Journalist
Jinkyu, Myung
hisunny20@ajunews.com
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South Korea Science Ministry, Google DeepMind Sign MOU for Joint AI Research and Talent Training South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT said it has signed an agreement with Google DeepMind to build a cooperation framework for the government’s “K-Moonshot” initiative and the responsible use of artificial intelligence. The ministry said it signed a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, with Google DeepMind on Sunday at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul. The partnership centers on joint AI research, talent development and expanding the adoption of responsible AI. Google DeepMind is the company behind the Go-playing AI AlphaGo. It is also a global AI research organization that developed AlphaFold, demonstrating AI’s potential in science and technology. The ministry noted that CEO Demis Hassabis won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2024 for solving the long-standing challenge of predicting protein structures. The ministry said the agreement was signed at a symbolic moment marking the 10th anniversary of the AlphaGo matches, aiming to turn a decade of AI achievements into momentum for science and technology innovation. Under the MOU, the two sides plan to seek practical cooperation across technology, infrastructure and researcher exchanges. They said they will work together in areas including life sciences, weather and climate, and “AI scientists.” They also plan to expand joint research and researcher exchanges around the National Science AI Research Center, which is scheduled to begin operations in May. Cooperation is expected to include developing and validating AI models and tools, using scientific data, and exploring collaboration centered on an AI bio-innovation research hub. The ministry said it will look for internship opportunities so top AI talent can experience Google DeepMind’s research environment. Google, it said, will establish an AI campus in South Korea and expand cooperation with academia, researchers and startups. The AI campus is expected to serve as a base for AI-driven science and technology cooperation with Google DeepMind linked to “K-Moonshot.” The two sides also agreed to cooperate on AI safety and governance. They plan joint research on safety frameworks and safeguards for AI models to support responsible development of AI technology. They also said they will hold discussions, in connection with an AI Safety Institute, on building safety frameworks and testing methodologies. Bae Kyung-hoon, deputy prime minister and minister of science and ICT, said the MOU will be “a key opportunity” for the two sides to work together to accelerate AI innovation in science and technology centered on “K-Moonshot,” while spreading safe and responsible AI research and best practices. Hassabis said Google DeepMind will contribute as a partner in building safeguards to help AI advance responsibly. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 16:06:21 -
Korea watchdog issues online harm casebook, warns of data theft in used-goods job scams A growing number of cases last year involved personal information being stolen during hiring and job-seeking processes conducted through used-goods trading apps, leading to unauthorized sign-ups for specific apps, officials said. Authorities warned the stolen data could be used for follow-on crimes such as financial fraud. The Korea Communications and Media Commission and the Korea Information and Communications Promotion Association said Thursday they published the “2025 Online Harm Counseling Casebook,” summarizing 50 major cases drawn from consultations received by the Online Harm 365 Center. The casebook is based on counseling records from the center, which provides one-on-one consultations and follow-up support for online harm. The center handled 4,181 consultations last year, pushing its cumulative total past 10,000, the agencies said. The publication organizes 50 selected cases by type, chosen for frequency and significance. It covers eight areas — goods and services, telecommunications, content, rights violations, cyber financial crime, illegal and harmful content, digital sex crimes and cyber violence — and includes real-world examples along with prevention tips and response measures. Officials highlighted a noticeable rise in cases in which scammers obtained personal data through job-related exchanges on used-goods apps. They said the information can be exploited in “romance scam” schemes, in which a perpetrator approaches a victim by feigning romantic interest, then uses the data to create unauthorized accounts or to facilitate financial fraud. The commission said victims should quickly close any accounts opened without consent and take steps to block additional harm. Along with counseling narratives, the casebook includes response guidance, consultation outcomes, and related laws and court precedents. It also provides information on the center’s operations, how to request counseling, annual intake and processing figures, and user reviews. “As the online environment changes, the types of harm are becoming more diverse and more sophisticated,” commission Chairman Kim Jong-cheol said. He said he hopes the casebook will help the public prevent harm and respond quickly when incidents occur.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 14:30:16 -
Robots and R&D Draw Crowds at 2026 Korea Science and Technology Expo At KINTEX in Goyang, just outside Seoul, children stopped to gather around a dog-shaped robot, while a long line formed for photos in front of a boxing robot. Under the slogan, “Imagination becomes everyday life,” robots blended into a scene that no longer felt unusual. The Ministry of Science and ICT, the National Research Foundation of Korea and the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity are holding the 2026 Korea Science and Technology Expo from April 24 to 26. Organizers said the event is built around four themes linking the past, present and future, and is expanding into a nationwide traveling science festival after stops in Busan and Daejeon. About 60 institutions are taking part, including 20 government-funded research institutes. The main National R&D zone highlights ongoing research results from the institutes, with displays organized by national strategic technologies such as aviation, bio and quantum science. The Korea Institute of Materials Science, or KIMS, and Hanwha Aerospace set up a joint booth to present technology aimed at localizing production of key aircraft engine parts. “Aircraft engines still have a structure with a high dependence on imported parts,” a KIMS official said, adding that the institute is working with Hanwha Aerospace to localize core components. One technology drawing attention was material for turbine blades. KIMS said it has developed a third-generation single-crystal superalloy designed to withstand high-temperature, high-pressure conditions and has entered the commercialization stage. The material is a key factor affecting engine output and efficiency, and performance verification tests are underway. KIMS is also developing precision casting prototype production technology, aiming to complete development this year. The institute said the process improves dimensional accuracy and defect control compared with existing methods. Related work includes developing cast rotor disk materials and improving thermal barrier coating performance. Students visiting on field trips offered immediate reactions. Cho Yun-chan, 11, from Yujeong Global School in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, said, “AI was fascinating, and the robot boxing was especially fun.” Another student from the school, Lee Yu-jin, also 11, said trying the robot exhibits made science more interesting and easier to understand in person. Some exhibitors, however, said expectations were mixed with concern because the event combines a public festival with business-oriented programming, making it hard to gauge attendance. “Events for kids and business-focused events are mixed together,” one booth official said. “The key will be how many citizens come in.” Before the expo opened, students also took part in a discussion on science and engineering career paths. Gu Hyeok-chae, first vice minister of science and ICT, met with students and answered questions on semiconductor research careers, software skills and study plans. He was reported to have emphasized the importance of strong fundamentals as AI rapidly changes the job environment. Gu said the science festival has been expanded nationwide starting this year so more people can experience science and technology firsthand, and that after Busan and Daejeon, events will be held sequentially in places including South Jeolla Province. “Science and technology are a core foundation that will shape South Korea’s future,” he said, pledging continued investment and expanded hands-on opportunities to broaden public engagement.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 14:27:15 -
South Korea Passes Law to Shift Science and R&D Policy Power to Regions South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT said a bill to enact the Act on Promoting Region-Led Science and Technology Innovation passed the National Assembly’s plenary session on the 23rd. The measure is intended to institutionalize a region-centered science and technology policy framework and to decentralize research and development authority and funding to local governments to strengthen regional innovation capacity. Key provisions include building region-led governance and dedicated agencies; promoting block-funding-style, region-directed R&D and wider-area, multi-province projects; developing innovation actors to boost local research capability; and expanding investment and support for regional science and technology. Under the law, mayors and governors of cities and provinces will draw up five-year regional science and technology innovation plans, and the central government will provide administrative and financial support. Major policies will be reviewed through regional science and technology advisory councils under the mayors and governors. The law also creates a basis to designate and establish dedicated agencies by region after consultation with the ministry. The legislation introduces an R&D system aimed at greater local autonomy. The government will designate certain national R&D programs as regional R&D projects, considering their links to regional policy, and will operate them under an evaluation system tailored to that purpose. Cities and provinces will be able to pursue not only their own R&D projects but also wider-area projects in cooperation with neighboring local governments. Support to strengthen regional research capacity will be expanded, including fostering local public research institutes, designating hub research institutions, and establishing a basis to support regional universities and corporate research labs. The government will also promote the revitalization of science and technology clusters such as R&D special zones and cooperation among clusters. The law includes measures to encourage voluntary investment by local governments. Mayors and governors may set and announce regional R&D investment targets based on their fiscal conditions, and the government plans to provide administrative and financial support to local governments with strong performance in meeting targets or delivering results. The bill is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027, after Cabinet approval and promulgation. The government said it will support implementation through follow-up steps, including drafting an enforcement decree. Deputy Prime Minister and Science and ICT Minister Bae Kyung-hoon said the law will allow local governments to set the direction of R&D investment with greater autonomy. He said the government will communicate closely with local governments and stakeholders while preparing subordinate regulations and related measures, so regions can foster strategic industries over the long term and drive innovation on their own, he said. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 17:14:00 -
KT Board Drops Advance Approval Requirement for Restructuring KT said Thursday its board revised parts of its board rules at an April regular meeting held shortly after the shareholders meeting, moving to tighten corporate governance. The key change removes a provision requiring the board’s advance approval for organizational restructuring. The revision aims to streamline decision-making on personnel and restructuring. Previously, the CEO had to obtain prior board approval to appoint or dismiss division head-level executives or to carry out a reorganization. That requirement was deleted. The board also eased the restructuring requirement from “advance reporting” to “reporting,” a move KT said would speed management decisions. The board also codified how it will respond when an outside director is suspected of violating company rules. Until a judicial ruling is finalized, the director would be restricted from attending board and committee meetings and from participating in deliberations, and would be advised not to exercise voting rights. KT said the changes are intended to strengthen the CEO’s accountability while allowing the board to focus more on its core role of checks and oversight. Board Chairman Kim Yong-heon said the revisions are meant to improve the rationality and transparency of board operations and clarify the roles of the CEO and the board. “We will continue improving the system in line with the launch of a new CEO leadership,” he said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 15:03:02 -
Google Joins OpenAI and Anthropic in Enterprise AI Push, Signaling Platform Battle Google has joined OpenAI and Anthropic in a push into the enterprise artificial intelligence market, as competition shifts from standalone models to agent-based platforms that tie together cloud services, data and automated tools. According to industry officials on the 23rd, Google used its annual tech conference, Google Cloud Next 2026 in Las Vegas, to declare the start of an “agentic enterprise” era. The company also said it will consolidate its AI products under the name “Gemini Enterprise.” Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, said Gemini Enterprise has evolved into an end-to-end system for the agentic era and “will connect enterprise data and people, all applications and agents.” He added that Google Cloud will provide “an integrated stack” to support large-scale operations and maximize efficiency, and said the company aims to lead the new AI era. The move is widely seen as a response to OpenAI and Anthropic rapidly expanding their presence in business-to-business markets. Choi Byeong-ho, a research professor at Korea University’s Human-Inspired AI Research Institute, said Anthropic and OpenAI have quickly built monetization models in the enterprise market, pushing the center of AI competition toward B2B. He said Google is now moving beyond foundation-model competition to prove results in the enterprise market. The enterprise AI market is being reshaped around “agents” that automate work, rather than simple model adoption. A survey by venture capital firm Menlo Ventures found the enterprise AI market surged from $1.7 billion in 2023 to $37 billion, and now accounts for 6% of the global software-as-a-service market. By market share, Anthropic led with 32%, followed by OpenAI at 25% and Google at 20%, the survey said. With the B2B market still in an early stage, multiple players are competing within narrow margins. Industry officials expect Google’s entry to accelerate a broader platform contest that combines cloud, data and agents, rather than a race focused only on models. As AI agents increasingly make automated decisions based on corporate data, debate is also expected to grow over security and accountability. Critics warn that if AI linked to internal systems makes errors, responsibility could become unclear. Choi said AI agents are tightly connected to corporate data, security frameworks and existing systems, ultimately forcing companies to overhaul internal governance and work processes. He added that “consulting-style” business models — going beyond software sales to help solve problems on site — are likely to expand, and said big tech companies including OpenAI and Anthropic are strengthening customized deployments and operational support for major clients.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 14:58:49 -
KAIST-Linked Deep Tech Startup Point2 Closes $76M Series B Round The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology said on the 23rd that Point2 Technology, a deep-tech startup co-founded by KAIST professor Bae Hyun-min and alumni, has secured an expanded Series B investment. The company closed the Series B round at about 100 billion won ($76 million). KAIST said it is the first Korea-based startup and the first among South Korean semiconductor companies to receive a strategic investment from Nvidia. KAIST cited Point2 Technology’s “e-Tube” technology as a key driver of the deal. AI data centers must connect thousands of semiconductors, but copper wiring has limits on transmission distance, while fiber optics have been criticized for higher costs and power use. The company’s approach uses radio-frequency signals and plastic waveguides to transmit data, aiming to address both constraints. KAIST said it extends transmission distance about 10 times compared with copper wiring, while cutting power consumption and cost to about one-third of optical cables. It also reduces data-transfer latency, which KAIST said positions it as a core technology for next-generation AI infrastructure. “This is a representative case in which core technology developed at KAIST led to investment from global big tech,” Bae said. He added that KAIST will strengthen support so startups with strong technology can enter global markets more quickly. 2026-04-23 11:15:27 -
LG Uplus Tops 1 Million USIM Updates and Free Replacements; Replacement Rate at 5.9% LG Uplus said April 23 that the number of USIM updates and replacements provided to all customers has surpassed 1 million. The company has been rolling out USIM updates and free replacements in phases since April 13. From April 13 to 22, it recorded 427,385 USIM updates and 581,094 USIM replacements, for a total of 1,008,479 cases. The cumulative replacement rate stood at 5.9%. LG Uplus said it has combined online guidance through text messages and its U+one app, a reservation-based system and on-site support to reduce customer inconvenience. It is also expanding a “visiting service” for customers who have difficulty going to stores. On-site support is being provided at senior welfare centers in urban areas including Seoul’s Jung and Dobong districts, Busan and Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province. The company said it visited the Boeun County Senior and Disabled Welfare Center in North Chungcheong Province on April 21 and the Nowon Center for the Blind in Seoul on April 22 to help with USIM replacements. LG Uplus said customers eligible for a USIM update can complete the process online, while those who need a replacement can receive service at stores after making a reservation. “We will continue to provide responsible support through online guidance, stores and visiting services so customers can take the necessary steps without inconvenience,” said Lee Jae-won, vice president and head of LG Uplus’ consumer division.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 09:06:37 -
Korea’s Homegrown AI Model Developers Deepen Ties With Nvidia Companies selected for the Science and ICT Ministry’s push to build an independent AI foundation model are expanding cooperation with Nvidia, accelerating efforts to broaden South Korea’s AI ecosystem. The partnerships aim to combine data, infrastructure and models to strengthen industry-specific AI competitiveness. LG AI Research said that on the 21st, co-head Lim Woo-hyung and EXAONE Lab head Lee Jin-sik met with Nvidia Vice President of Applied Research Brian Catanzaro and Nvidia Korea CEO Jung So-young at LG’s Magok office in Seoul to discuss next-generation AI model development and joint ecosystem-building strategies. The two sides agreed to widen cooperation by linking LG’s EXAONE with Nvidia’s Nemotron open ecosystem to jointly develop specialized models for professional fields. Building on collaboration from EXAONE 3.0 through the recently released multimodal model 4.5, they plan to increase integration across data, infrastructure and software. LG AI Research said it has improved training quality using Nemotron datasets, while Nvidia has supported training optimization and inference efficiency through its latest graphics processing units and tools such as the NeMo framework. LG AI Research said the results are reflected in Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence “AI Index Report.” It said South Korea ranked third among countries with notable AI models, and that four of the five models cited were from the EXAONE series. Telecom companies are also expanding cooperation. SK Telecom disclosed results of its AI model development work with Nvidia at “Nvidia Nemotron Developer Days Seoul 2026.” SK Telecom said it plans to use Nvidia solutions in developing “A.X K2,” a follow-up to “A.X K1,” which it introduced under the independent foundation model project. The company previously applied Nemotron datasets and related frameworks during training of A.X K1, a model with 519 billion parameters, to secure stability for large-scale distributed training. The two companies are holding technical consultations every two weeks to discuss infrastructure stability, performance improvements and optimization measures. In a panel discussion co-hosted by the ministry and Nvidia on the 21st, participating companies outlined shared priorities. Elice Group emphasized the need for “vertical AI” optimized for specific industries such as manufacturing and finance. Upstage said a key task is narrowing the gap between benchmark performance and real-world enterprise deployment. SK Telecom said it is focusing beyond early “performance verification” on commercialization suitable for real services and on improving inference efficiency. Motif Technologies said it is developing a 300B Mixture-of-Experts model and aims to narrow the gap with global big tech through efficiency-focused design rather than a race for scale alone. Still, concerns were raised about overreliance on an Nvidia-centered ecosystem. Motif CEO Lim Jeong-hwan said that when freedom to experiment with model architectures is critical, heavier dependence on Nvidia software could constrain independent innovation.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 00:03:22 -
Panel urges overhaul of Korea broadcasting development fund to include platforms Calls are growing to overhaul South Korea’s Broadcasting and Communications Development Fund beyond temporary fee reductions, as media consumption shifts toward platform-based services. Speakers said the current system, built largely around traditional broadcasters, needs a redesign to remain sustainable. Lee Sang-geun, a non-standing member of the Broadcast Media and Communications Commission, said at an April 22 seminar at the National Assembly that “the fund can be addressed in the short term through reductions, but it is difficult for that to be a fundamental solution.” He added that a broader reset is needed, “including revisions to the Broadcasting Act.” The fund supports the development of the broadcasting and telecommunications industry and efforts to strengthen public interest programming. Under the Framework Act on the Development of Broadcasting and Communications, it is collected from terrestrial broadcasters, general programming channels and mobile carriers, among others, and is currently structured around legacy broadcasting operators such as cable TV system operators. Lee said the approach of placing the burden mainly on existing operators has clear limits as the overall market shrinks. He said platform operators that do not pay into the fund are expanding their influence, deepening imbalances across the system. That has fueled arguments for expanding the fund’s scope to include new media operators such as over-the-top streaming services. Lee said, however, that the current legal framework makes that difficult and that legal groundwork, including changes to the Broadcasting Act, would need to come first. The commission also signaled support for structural changes. Seong Jae-sik, the planning and coordination officer and head of the finance team in the innovation planning office, said collection rates have been adjusted by sector to reflect crises, but “the overall market has now reached a critical point,” making it time to reexamine the system broadly. As a key task, Seong pointed to integrating currently separate fund notices and unifying the collection framework. “Applying different standards even among similar operators raises fairness issues,” he said, adding that consolidation is needed to set consistent criteria. Still, changes to collection rates are unlikely to move quickly. Seong said that even if reforms are pursued within the year, time is tight. He said the commission plans first to commission research covering the overall collection system, including pay TV and terrestrial broadcasters and general programming program providers. Seong said a central issue is how to fill any funding gap if burdens are reduced. He said imposing the fund on platform operators such as OTT services and portals should be reviewed over the long term. He also said spending may need adjustment, but noted that fund projects are decided through consultations with fiscal authorities, making unilateral changes by the commission difficult. Any spending restructuring, he said, would need to be pursued step by step through interagency talks. Because interests are deeply intertwined, Seong said, reforms require sufficient deliberation. He said the commission will push mid- to long-term changes based on research and discussion. 2026-04-22 17:09:21