Journalist

Na Seon-hye
  • NIA Exports Seoul Station 5G Open RAN Testbed Technology to U.S. Hospital in $21 Million Deal
    NIA Exports Seoul Station 5G Open RAN Testbed Technology to U.S. Hospital in $21 Million Deal The National Information Society Agency, or NIA, said April 28 it has exported the “Seoul Station 5G specialized network Open RAN demonstration network,” built under a Ministry of Science and ICT competitive project, to a large hospital in Alabama. The project was carried out in 2025 by GNTEL. It combined LG Electronics’ software-based virtualized radio access network base station (vRAN) with Open RAN radio units (O-RU) from three manufacturers: Gigalane, Wave Electronics and Samji Electronics. NIA said the system, made entirely with Korean equipment, achieved performance comparable to or better than global vendors and proved its capabilities through global certification (OTIC). The exported equipment is scheduled to be deployed starting in August to build 5G specialized-network communications infrastructure at the Alabama hospital. NIA said the export volume is significantly larger than the Seoul Station test site, with vRAN about seven times higher and small and midsize companies’ Open RAN radio units about 30 times higher. The export value is about 2.1 billion won, exceeding the government funding invested in the Seoul Station Open RAN project. “This export is a major achievement that proves the technological strength of Korean wireless network equipment in the global market,” NIA President Kim Hyeong-cheol said. “We will continue to provide full support to help our companies expand their global reach.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 08:28:03
  • Korea Telecoms Agree to Add Basic QoS to Low-Cost Plans, Split on Price Cuts
    Korea Telecoms Agree to Add Basic QoS to Low-Cost Plans, Split on Price Cuts South Korea’s Science and ICT Ministry and the country’s three mobile carriers have agreed to apply a “data safety option” based on quality-of-service, or QoS, as a standard feature on low-cost plans as they negotiate measures aimed at lowering wireless bills.  According to the telecom industry on the 27th, SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus accepted the government proposal to make QoS standard on cheaper plans as part of the ministry’s push to roll out unified LTE and 5G rate plans. The carriers were said to have little disagreement over how the unified plans would be structured, but they maintained that keeping current data allowances while cutting monthly fees by more than 10,000 won would be difficult.  The centerpiece of the overhaul is to apply QoS by default to all plans in the 20,000- to 30,000-won range so users can maintain a minimum level of data service. Under the QoS option, customers who use up their included data can continue to use unlimited data at speeds of 400 kilobits per second.  Carriers, however, are resisting proposals to lower prices while keeping data allowances unchanged. The government is said to be seeking about a 10,000-won cut per subscriber as it merges current 5G plans in the 50,000-won range with LTE plans in the 40,000-won range into unified offerings. The three carriers argue that, given network cost structures, cutting prices without reducing data would significantly damage profitability.  An industry official said all three carriers agreed with the government’s view that low-cost users should be able to access QoS without paying extra, but added that a roughly 10,000-won cut per person would be hard to accept. “Most 5G subscribers are on plans in the 50,000-won range, and offering the same data usage at prices in the 40,000-won range would be too big a loss,” the official said.  Analysts in the securities industry estimate that if the government’s price-cut plan goes ahead, the carriers’ combined operating profit could fall by 6% to 8%. They also warned that if disputes over network usage fees with global content providers such as Google are not resolved, the carriers would have limited room to offset the revenue decline. With carriers bearing most network investment costs, prolonged pressure on profitability could also affect their capacity to invest, they said.  The ministry estimates the overhaul would benefit about 7.17 million people and reduce annual telecom spending by 322.1 billion won. Industry observers said the actual impact could vary depending on the size of any price cuts and how they are applied.  A ministry official said the timing of the unified plans has not been finalized. “Additional talks are under way on several plans, and we are working to wrap things up in the first half,” the official said. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 00:03:21
  • Science Minister Bae Says DeepMind Partnership to Focus on AI Hub, Science Center, Safety
    Science Minister Bae Says DeepMind Partnership to Focus on AI Hub, Science Center, Safety The Ministry of Science and ICT said its cooperation with Google DeepMind will move forward on three tracks: building a global AI hub, linking with the National Science AI Research Center, and conducting research on artificial intelligence safety. The ministry said Monday it signed a memorandum of understanding with DeepMind outlining the cooperation. Deputy Prime Minister and Science and ICT Minister Bae Kyung-hoon said a closed-door meeting also covered how the two sides would divide roles going forward. Bae said the government and industry plan to prepare follow-up discussions with DeepMind focused on the bio and medical sector, including securing data, improving model performance and setting strategies for broader adoption. The following is a Q&A with Bae. - What were the key areas discussed in the closed-door meeting? "Discussions centered on three tracks: cooperation on a global AI hub, linkage with the National Science AI Research Center, and AI safety research. Since DeepMind has strong interest in 'solving scientific problems' and 'AI safety,' we agreed to strengthen cooperation in those areas. We are still at an early stage after signing the MOU, and the specific division of roles will be finalized through further talks. The government and industry will prepare plans focused on the bio and medical sector — including securing data, advancing model performance and strategies for wider use — and continue discussions with DeepMind." - What did you mean by mentioning 'Mythos' in your remarks? "It was to stress the importance of an independent foundation model. Without our own model, it is difficult to secure competitiveness in security and cyber safety. There are areas where we can cooperate with DeepMind, but there are also areas we clearly need to build ourselves." - Is there potential for cooperation between domestic companies' models and DeepMind? "Rather than cooperation between individual models, we focused on the broader direction of 'AI-based scientific research' and 'AI safety.' We also shared that independent model development is underway in Korea." - Have the participating universities been decided for Google's AI campus? "Google has only announced an investment in an AI campus in Korea, and the participating universities have not been decided. However, we agreed on the need to expand people-to-people exchanges and discussed steps such as forming a working group." - What was discussed about building AI guardrails? "We agreed on the need for guardrails, in the sense that humans must be able to control AI even as it develops on its own. We also shared the view that guidelines and a regulatory framework are needed so all users — not just certain groups — can use AI safely."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 17:28:25
  • South Korea, Google DeepMind Expand K-Moonshot AI Partnership, Plan Gangnam AI Hub
    South Korea, Google DeepMind Expand K-Moonshot AI Partnership, Plan Gangnam AI Hub South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT said it will expand cooperation with Google DeepMind as it pushes the “K-Moonshot” project, a national strategy to apply artificial intelligence across research and development to tackle major science and technology challenges. The ministry said it signed a memorandum of understanding with Google DeepMind on April 27 at the Four Seasons Hotel in central Seoul. The agreement focuses on joint AI research, talent development and the spread of responsible AI. The hotel is the site of the 2016 match in which AlphaGo defeated top South Korean Go player Lee Sedol, an event widely seen as a milestone for modern AI. Bae Kyung-hoon, deputy prime minister and minister of science and ICT, said AlphaFold’s results have helped drive innovation in medicine and biotechnology. “The science field can definitely create innovation with AI,” he said. Bae added that AI has already penetrated areas including science and security, and said the government will work to ensure more people can use AI. DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis said the AlphaGo-Lee match “was a signal flare that marked the beginning of modern AI.” He said the era of artificial general intelligence has moved up by five years and that the scale and speed of progress will be 10 times that of past industrial revolutions. Hassabis said South Korea has a strong position “as an AI powerhouse, from semiconductors,” and said he would expand partnerships during his visit with Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, Hyundai Motor, and LG Electronics. The visit is his first to South Korea in 10 years since the 2016 match, according to the article. Hassabis co-founded Google DeepMind and has been a leading researcher in applying AI to scientific work. DeepMind developed AlphaFold, an AI system for predicting protein structures. Hassabis said he shared the 2024 Nobel Prize in chemistry with John Jumper and David Baker for AlphaFold-related research. The ministry said it will use the MOU to build broader cooperation across technology, infrastructure and researcher exchanges. Hassabis said the partnership will rest on three pillars — model research, talent development and safety cooperation — and said DeepMind will share models with leading research institutions to advance scientific progress. The ministry said the cooperation will be linked to the K-Moonshot project. Under the plan, the ministry aims to double research productivity by 2030 and, by 2035, achieve 12 national missions across eight areas including advanced biotechnology, future energy, space, quantum, semiconductors and humanoids. On talent development, the ministry said it will seek internship opportunities so South Korean AI talent can experience DeepMind’s research environment. DeepMind also plans to overhaul the Google Startup Campus in Seoul’s Gangnam district into an AI-focused collaboration base. The campus will serve as an “AI for Science” hub tied to K-Moonshot, supporting researcher exchanges and joint research. Programs are to include joint projects with domestic researchers and startups, as well as hackathons and technical workshops. The two sides said they will pursue AI-based joint research in areas including life sciences and weather and climate. They also plan to expand researcher exchanges centered on the National Science AI Research Center, which is scheduled to launch in May. Other cooperation tasks include developing and validating AI models and tools, using scientific data, and building a bio-innovation research base. They also said they will cooperate on AI safety and governance, including joint research on frameworks and safeguards to secure model safety. The ministry and DeepMind said they will work with AI safety research institutes to develop testing methodologies and standards. 2026-04-27 16:51:40
  • South Korea Science Ministry, Google DeepMind Sign MOU for Joint AI Research and Talent Training
    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
    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
    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 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 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 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