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Experts Discuss Strategies for South Korea to Become an AI Nation at 2026 GGGF To truly transform into an AI nation, South Korea must ease regulations to allow new companies to emerge freely. The government needs to open initial markets for youth-led startups in sectors such as AI, robotics, defense, and healthcare.This was a key message from experts during the 18th Good Growth, Good Jobs Global Forum (2026 GGGF) held on September 2 at The Plaza Hotel in Seoul, organized by Aju Economy. The forum focused on strategies for South Korea to lead in the global AI competition in the era of Physical AI and Agent AI.Speakers unanimously agreed that expanding employment opportunities for the AI-native youth generation is essential for South Korea to become an AI nation. Lee Geum-ryong, chairman of Coglo.com, who successfully led the company to a public listing and sale, emphasized the need for regulatory and legislative reforms and a shift in the role of universities to facilitate this youth employment expansion.Lee stressed the importance of transitioning from the current positive regulation system—where anything not explicitly legal is illegal—to a negative regulation system, where anything not explicitly illegal is legal. This change would allow new businesses to thrive in emerging industries and enable startups and venture companies to compete in existing sectors.He also called for changes in university education, stating, "We need to encourage faculty with technical expertise to start businesses and allow graduate and undergraduate students to participate in real business activities." He suggested creating clusters around universities that combine research facilities, offices, and housing to help young people address both employment and housing issues.Experts agreed that Physical AI and Agent AI could be key technologies to overcome structural challenges such as low birth rates and slow economic growth in South Korea. They warned that failing to secure independent foundation models and Physical AI technologies could lead to dependence on the U.S. and China for technology and data, jeopardizing national security and economic, social, and cultural stability.Instead of assuming that South Korea can become the top player in Physical AI due to its manufacturing prowess, experts advised developing strategies that differentiate it from China, a more advanced manufacturing nation. Lim Jeong-hwan, CEO of Motif Technologies, emphasized that to maintain AI sovereignty and avoid dependency on specific countries, South Korea should focus on high-tech processes and industrial AI products.Denis Hong, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at UCLA, noted, "The strength of South Korean manufacturing lies in its ability to use actual industrial sites—such as those in automotive, semiconductor, battery, and shipbuilding—as testbeds for generating, learning, and validating Physical AI data." He added that while South Korea's progress is impressive, there is a need to create real interaction data from humanoid robots, including contact, force, failure, and recovery, in practical settings.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-02 17:48:10
Motif Technologies CEO Im Jeong-hwan Advocates for AI-Driven Manufacturing Success in Korea Im Jeong-hwan, CEO of Motif Technologies, delivered a keynote speech on September 2 at the '2026 GGGF' hosted by Aju Economic Daily, discussing the theme 'Introducing K-AI Future Vision Amid US-China Competition.' He stated, "To avoid falling behind in the AI competition with the U.S. and China, Korea must shift the competitive landscape to areas where it has strengths." He emphasized that Korea's AI competitiveness lies in combining specific technologies and industries, urging a focus on high-difficulty processes, learning efficiency in limited computing, and specialized industrial AI.As the U.S. and China emerge as the two global powerhouses in the AI supremacy race, Im argued that Korea should concentrate on identifying its competitive areas. He noted that Korea lacks the scale to compete with the U.S. and China across all sectors, with private AI investments in Korea reaching approximately $3.1 billion in 2024, ranking sixth globally but only 3% of the U.S. level. The gap in computing resources is also significant, with Korea at just 1% of the U.S. capacity.Im remarked, "While it is challenging to compete directly with the U.S. and China in terms of computing scale or capital, there is potential for Korea to excel in AI specialized for certain industries." He pointed out that the issue for Korean AI is not a lack of technology but rather the insufficient structure to convert strengths into AI value.He highlighted that Korea's advanced manufacturing technology is a key asset in the AI competition. Im stated, "Korea ranks among the top in semiconductors and memory, and the speed of AI adoption in industrial settings is rapid. However, it is relatively weak in foundational models, computing infrastructure, and talent acquisition." He suggested that Korea should focus on learning efficiency instead of total computing competition, on intelligent high-difficulty processes and equipment rather than manufacturing volume, and on industrial and specialized AI products instead of general consumer platforms.He added, "The key is to secure a few core competencies and then build an ecosystem where thousands of companies can create services and products on top of that foundation."Im explained that the most practical approach is to integrate AI with existing manufacturing sectors such as semiconductors, automobiles, batteries, and biotechnology. He noted that when AI goes beyond simple automation to engage in design, production, quality control, logistics, and decision-making, it can significantly enhance industrial competitiveness.He proposed three AI strategies for Korea: BUILD, CONNECT, and SCALE. He stated, "We need to develop core technologies like AI foundational models and computing, and connect these AI capabilities to the core infrastructure of Korea's major manufacturing sectors such as semiconductors, automobiles, and batteries." He also emphasized the importance of designing products and services with a global market in mind from the outset.Finally, he asserted, "If AI's role in automobiles, robotics, smart factories, and semiconductor equipment evolves from simple judgment to intelligent actions, we can leverage Korea's strengths in hardware and manufacturing capabilities. Rather than pursuing a catch-up strategy to match U.S. and Chinese AI strategies, Korea should accurately identify its strong areas and build unique competitiveness within those domains."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-02 17:48:10
Dennis Hong: Success of Physical AI Depends on Real-World Data "While generative AI data is available on the internet, crucial data for physical AI is found in the field. By deploying robots in actual industrial settings to generate high-quality physical data, we can create a 'manufacturing-centric virtuous cycle ecosystem' that uniquely positions Korea in the physical AI landscape."Dennis Hong, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and director of the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa), presented this perspective during his keynote speech at the 18th Good Growth, Good Jobs Global Forum (2026 GGGF) held at The Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, on September 2.Hong emphasized that Korea does not need to simply replicate the U.S. model of AI development centered around big tech or the Chinese approach that leverages a powerful hardware supply chain. He noted that Korea possesses world-class manufacturing sectors in automotive, semiconductors, and shipbuilding, and should leverage its strengths in field data to enhance industrial competitiveness.He identified a significant shift in robotics over the past couple of years, moving from traditional control mechanisms that required manual coding of algorithms based on sensor inputs to a more integrated approach where a single AI model handles everything from sensor input to final motion control.However, he pointed out that implementing this AI-based control method requires substantial data. Unlike generative AI or large language models, the physical AI sector faces a severe 'data drought.' While text, images, and videos can be amassed from the internet for training, precise physical data such as joint positions, speeds, accelerations, and friction coefficients necessary for training robots are not readily available online.Current data collection methods employed by global tech companies also show limitations. For instance, virtual world simulation training often leads to errors when applied to real robots due to discrepancies with reality. Collecting data through virtual reality (VR) equipment is time-consuming and costly, and video-based learning from platforms like YouTube fails to provide tactile data such as force magnitude or contact sensations.Hong stressed that Korea's unique manufacturing environment could serve as a crucial asset in the era of physical AI, as its top-tier K-manufacturing factories can extract the most sophisticated and extensive real-time physical data. He urged caution against the excessive hype surrounding the robotics industry, noting that while AI-based control methods offer remarkable flexibility, they also present a 'black box' problem that complicates fault diagnosis when errors occur. He advocated for advanced research that combines traditional model-based control methods, which have evolved over the past century, with AI approaches."The success of humanoid and physical AI ultimately hinges on who can most efficiently collect and apply precise real-world data," Hong stated. He called for the Korean industrial sector to maximize its substantial strengths in manufacturing to establish a practical physical AI ecosystem.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-02 17:48:10
Taiwan Plans $20 Billion Additional Investment in U.S. Amid AI Boom Amid the surge in artificial intelligence (AI), Taiwanese companies are planning to invest an additional $20 billion in the United States.According to Reuters, Taiwan's Minister of Economic Affairs, Wang Mei-hua, announced this at the opening ceremony of the U.S. pavilion at the Semicon Taiwan 2026 semiconductor exhibition held in Taipei on September 2.The Ministry of Economic Affairs identified the investment plans of Taiwanese companies, excluding the world’s largest semiconductor foundry, TSMC, after attending the SelectUSA investment promotion event in Maryland in May. Wang reported that the total additional investment amounts to $20 billion.This investment is seen as a response to the increasing demand for AI and semiconductors, prompting Taiwanese companies to expand their production and operations in the U.S. However, specific details regarding the companies and projects involved have not been disclosed.Recently, the U.S. has pressured Taiwanese firms to increase their investments in the country to boost domestic semiconductor production. Bill Frauenhofer, director of the Semiconductor Innovation and Investment Office at the U.S. Department of Commerce, stated that Taiwanese investments would strengthen the U.S.'s core technological capabilities.Taiwan's semiconductor industry is also expected to experience significant growth this year due to the AI boom. Wu Zhi, secretary-general of the Taiwan Semiconductor Industry Association (TSIA), projected that the revenue of Taiwan's semiconductor industry would approach $300 billion, marking an increase of over 40% from the previous year.However, challenges such as energy supply, talent acquisition, and cybersecurity remain significant issues. Wu emphasized that no single country can dominate the semiconductor supply chain, highlighting the need for close international cooperation.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-02 17:48:00
Top Five Banks to Provide 74 Trillion Won in Support for SMEs Ahead of Chuseok Major commercial banks are set to offer 74 trillion won in special financial support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and small business owners ahead of the Chuseok holiday. According to the financial sector on September 2, the five major banks—KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori, and NH Nonghyup—will provide a total of 74.375 trillion won in special funds for Chuseok. This amount is 9.25 trillion won (1.3%) more than last year's support of 73.450 trillion won, marking the largest support ever. KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, and Woori banks will each support a total of 15.2 trillion won, which includes 6.2 trillion won in new loans and 9 trillion won in maturity extensions. The support period runs from August 24 to September 16. Businesses can receive new loans of up to 1 billion won, depending on their funding needs. Loans can be extended without repaying part of the principal at maturity, and deferred installment payments are also supported. After bank assessments, preferential interest rates of up to 1.5 percentage points may apply. NH Nonghyup Bank will provide a total of 13.575 trillion won, including 5.075 trillion won in new loans and 8.5 trillion won in maturity extensions. This amount is 5.75 trillion won more than last year's Chuseok support. The support period extends until September 12, with a special preferential interest rate of 0.1 percentage points. Compared to last year, KB Kookmin and Hana banks increased their support by 1 trillion won each, while Shinhan and Woori banks raised their support by 750 billion won each. More than half of the increase in support from the five major banks compared to last year comes from NH Nonghyup Bank. Mobile branches will also operate during the holiday period for travelers. Hana Bank will run a 'Moving Hana Bank' at the Yangjae Meeting Plaza rest area from September 23 to 24, where it will hold a currency exchange event.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-02 17:44:20
Homeplus Faces Survival Challenge After Bankruptcy Plan Approval Homeplus has temporarily averted bankruptcy following the approval of its rehabilitation plan by the Seoul Bankruptcy Court, but significant challenges remain. The company must repay over 500 billion won in outstanding payments to suppliers while securing additional operating funds and improving the profitability of reopened stores. While the rehabilitation plan offers a 'chance for survival,' the company must now demonstrate its viability through actual business performance. This is why industry experts are stating that 'the real test begins now.'On September 2, the Seoul Bankruptcy Court immediately approved Homeplus's rehabilitation plan after it was passed at a creditors' meeting. The plan received unanimous support from 100% of secured creditors, 75.90% of rehabilitation creditors, and 100% of shareholders. The meeting, which began at 3 p.m., concluded with the approval in about two hours, contrary to initial expectations. The court's approval does not mean Homeplus has successfully rehabilitated; rather, it signifies that the company has secured an opportunity to normalize operations by repaying debts as outlined in the plan. The court indicated that it would conclude the rehabilitation process once repayments commence as planned. Conversely, failure to implement the plan could lead to a 'revocation of approval' and an automatic bankruptcy declaration.The most urgent task for Homeplus's recovery is to restore relationships with public creditors, including suppliers. Kim Kwang-il, co-CEO of Homeplus and vice chairman of MBK Partners, stated at the creditors' meeting that the percentage of public creditors agreeing to the repayment plan is 66.3%. Public creditors include suppliers, employees' wages and severance pay, rent, taxes, and social insurance contributions. Although they do not have voting rights at the meeting, they must be repaid before general rehabilitation creditors. If creditors who do not agree to the repayment demand immediate payment, it could strain Homeplus's cash flow.The Seoul Bankruptcy Court has reportedly required Homeplus to secure a public creditor agreement rate of about 80%, making it essential to obtain additional consents. If the company fails to reliably repay the over 500 billion won in outstanding supplier payments, the supply of goods from partner companies may again be disrupted.Securing additional funds is also necessary. Last month, Homeplus obtained 200 billion won in emergency operating funds (DIP) from Meritz Financial Group, backed by a personal guarantee from MBK Partners Chairman Kim Byung-joo, allowing it to resume operations at 67 key stores. However, since DIP is a short-term emergency fund, additional resources are needed to support long-term repayments.Asset sales will also be pursued. Homeplus plans to sell 19 self-owned stores among the 37 locations designated for closure to generate funds for debt repayment. The company is also working to reduce unprofitable stores and lower fixed costs such as rent and labor to enhance the profitability of remaining locations. There is also potential for future mergers and acquisitions involving Homeplus itself.Ultimately, the success of the rehabilitation will depend on the core business. Even if key stores reopen, Homeplus must restore its product assortment and customer base to stabilize sales and profitability for long-term debt repayment. Competing not only with large discount stores but also with e-commerce platforms like Coupang, relying solely on cost-cutting measures will not ensure sustainable recovery.An industry insider remarked, "Whether Homeplus can translate the time secured from the court and creditors into improved performance and restored trust will determine its future survival." 2026-09-02 17:44:00
Shin Jeong-kyu of LabUp: From Open Source Developer to AI Infrastructure Pioneer Shin Jeong-kyu, the CEO of LabUp, is an expert in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure with a background in physics and computer engineering, as well as experience in open-source development. Since founding LabUp in 2015, he has been pioneering the AI infrastructure operations platform market.Shin dual majored in physics and computer engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH). He later earned a Ph.D. by researching computational neuroscience, agent-based models, and opinion dynamics in the field of complex brain science. He has also served as an adjunct professor in the Department of Software at Hanyang University’s ERICA campus.During his university years, he led the development of the open-source software Textcube, which became the foundation for Kakao's blogging service, Tistory. Afterward, he worked as a strategic planning advisor at Tatter and Company, which was acquired by Google, and served as the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at Abla Company before establishing LabUp.At the time of its founding, LabUp aimed to make AI accessible to everyone, addressing the challenges posed by the limited availability of AI development to a small group of experts and the inability of existing supercomputing and high-performance computing (HPC) solutions to meet growing computational demands. This led to the development of dedicated AI infrastructure software.Since then, LabUp has expanded its goals to 'Make AI Scalable' by operating thousands to millions of graphics processing units (GPUs). Recently, the company has introduced the concept of 'Make AI Composable,' emphasizing versatility by allowing customers to assemble infrastructure tailored to their specific needs and scale, incorporating various AI accelerators such as GPUs and neural processing units (NPUs).Shin received a presidential commendation for contributions to the development of the software industry in 2018 and was awarded an industrial medal in 2024. He currently serves as a member of the National AI Strategy Committee.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-02 17:40:10
LabUp CEO Shin Jeong-kyu: 'We Identify Problems Before the Market Opens, Aiming for 6x Revenue in 3 Years' "LabUp not only solves customer problems but also identifies issues that customers may not yet recognize. We must define problems ahead of the market to provide solutions that can be immediately utilized when the market opens," said Shin Jeong-kyu, CEO of LabUp, during an interview at the company's office in Gangnam, Seoul, on August 28.Shin emphasized the company's core competitiveness, noting that LabUp has proactively developed related technologies in anticipation of changes in the AI infrastructure market, which is shifting from model training to inference and then to agent-based AI. LabUp aims to go public on KOSDAQ in October and plans to accelerate its global market strategy with the funds raised from the IPO.Q&A with LabUp CEO Shin Jeong-kyu- You passed the preliminary review for KOSDAQ listing. What are your thoughts?"We confirmed the high interest in the AI sector. As a company developing AI infrastructure systems, LabUp will supply optimized infrastructure to domestic and international AI companies and contribute to reducing the social costs associated with infrastructure construction and operation."- What aspects of LabUp do you think the market has highly evaluated?"I believe the market has recognized our ability to predict changes in AI infrastructure ahead of time and prepare the necessary technologies. Since our founding, we have been about four years ahead in technology and approximately one year ahead in commercialization. In the past, operating GPUs for large-scale model training was crucial, but with the emergence of ChatGPT, inference that can handle multiple models and users simultaneously has become a key capability. Recently, as reinforcement learning-based post-training has spread, the boundaries between training and inference are disappearing. LabUp prepared related platforms before these changes manifested as actual market demand."- What is the specific timeline for the IPO?"We submitted our securities registration statement last Tuesday. If all goes as planned, we expect to complete the KOSDAQ listing by the end of October."- Where will the funds raised from the IPO be prioritized for investment?"We plan to prioritize investments in R&D infrastructure and solution enhancement. To create a good infrastructure solution, it is essential to operate large-scale infrastructure and have firsthand experience in validating new equipment. Setting up one NVIDIA B200 system costs about 1.5 billion won, and the next-generation Vera Rubin system is expected to require about 6 billion won per rack."- How does your main product, Backend.AI, differ from existing GPU management solutions?"The biggest difference is that we possess end-to-end technology that encompasses the entire AI infrastructure. Solutions that combine various open-source tools often have limitations in organically optimizing the entire system due to the separation of infrastructure, machine learning operations, and inference layers. LabUp's Backend.AI can handle the reallocation of GPUs and the acquisition of additional resources on a single platform, even in situations where user demand suddenly increases."- What benefits can clients expect from implementing Backend.AI?"I cannot disclose specific figures for individual clients. However, I recall that in a proprietary AI foundation model project, we reduced the response time for failures to one-fortieth of the original. In a virtualized environment, we achieved performance levels about 97% of bare metal. Excluding resources needed for operating systems, we are pushing GPU performance to near hardware limits."- There are concerns that a GPU-centric business model may have limitations in the long term."LabUp's strength lies in its versatility. The AI semiconductor market is rapidly changing, and demand is diverse, making it difficult for a single company to dominate all areas. Currently, LabUp supports about 14 to 15 types of AI semiconductors. Since 2018, we have been responding to various AI semiconductors, starting with Google's TPU. We are also collaborating on the NPU verification projects of domestic companies like FuriosaAI and Rebellion."- Which regions do you plan to target first in the global market?"We plan to focus on Southeast Asia and the U.S. first, and then expand into Europe. The U.S. market is dominated by big tech companies, making it challenging for external solutions to enter, as large AI firms often have thousands of in-house infrastructure personnel. However, I believe we need to secure our unique entry routes before the market becomes more entrenched. In Southeast Asia, large neo-cloud providers are emerging rapidly. Given the fast growth of the market, I think it is crucial to establish partnerships with local players for early entry."- How does LabUp differentiate itself from overseas competitors?"In a word, it just works. In the AI infrastructure market, many solutions improve stability through customer testing after product release. LabUp can provide 'day-one ready' solutions that clients can implement immediately, based on our extensive experience, particularly in operating products in the enterprise market and encountering various exceptions from hardware to actual AI services."- What motivated LabUp to participate in the AI consortium with KT and what role do you play?"While LabUp has extensive experience in operating AI workloads for businesses and developers, we lack experience in large-scale AI services used by the general public. Through the Everyone's AI project, we hope to identify technical issues arising from user patterns and address them. I believe we can gain experience in discovering bottlenecks in large-scale services and optimizing AI systems and costs."- What does LabUp look like in three years?"Our goal is to establish a platform that manages and integrates AI agents distributed across various locations. In three years, the number of AI agents with human-level intelligence will far exceed that of humans. We anticipate that many office tasks will be handled by AI. LabUp aims to be a company that provides a 'playground' for AI to operate in an environment where humans and AI coexist. If the market grows as expected, we project that our revenue will increase sixfold in three years. LabUp's focus is on software; rather than owning cloud infrastructure directly, we will concentrate on software and intelligence to efficiently utilize any hardware." 2026-09-02 17:40:10
CJ ENM to Transform Advertising with AI After Confirming Box Office Success Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is revolutionizing the product placement (PPL) market, allowing for new advertisements to be integrated even after filming has concluded, according to Lee Joong-ho, head of CJ ENM's Advertising 360 & AI Solutions Team.In an interview on August 31 at CJ CheilJedang's headquarters in Seoul, Lee explained the concept of virtual product placement (VPPL), which uses AI graphic work to make it appear as though products were present during the original filming. He noted, "VPPL is not a replacement for traditional PPL but rather a 'plus alpha' concept, allowing for additional ad sales to offset production costs rather than just reducing time or expenses."Lee highlighted the advantages of VPPL, stating, "Dramas have long production periods, making it difficult to know if a project will succeed before securing sponsorship. VPPL allows brands to select suitable scenes based on viewer reactions after airing."The cost of VPPL ads is approximately 50% lower than that of traditional PPL. CJ ENM aims to lower barriers for advertisers as the VPPL market is still in its infancy, focusing on expanding its application.A notable example of VPPL is the tvN variety show 'Edward Lee's Country Cook.' The production team captured a scene where Edward Lee used Maeil Dairy's soy milk during filming. Afterward, they proposed the connection between the scene and the product to advertisers and implemented VPPL.Lee emphasized that reducing the dissonance of inserted products is crucial for expanding the VPPL market. AI is responsible for accurately rendering the product's shape, camera angles, lighting, shadows, and colors to match the original footage, while experts review whether the product fits the scene's context and if the movements and focus appear natural.He stated, "AI handles how quickly and precisely the product is rendered, while humans determine which scenes to apply it to without compromising the content's quality. It is essential to make it look as if the product was there during the original shoot, not just inserted later."CJ ENM is also exploring ways to measure advertising effectiveness across its various platforms. Lee remarked, "In traditional broadcast PPL, it was challenging to measure exact outcomes, but multiple platforms can provide data on searches and purchases following viewership. This could connect content production, AI, and distribution into a single ecosystem."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-09-02 17:40:00
Homeplus Receives Court Approval for Rehabilitation Plan, Paving Way for Management Normalization Homeplus, currently undergoing corporate rehabilitation, has successfully passed its rehabilitation plan and received court approval, marking a significant milestone. Last month, the company secured 200 billion won in emergency operating funds, allowing it to resume operations at 67 key stores, and now it has established a foundation for management normalization. If repayments are made as planned, the rehabilitation process will conclude.The Seoul Bankruptcy Court's Rehabilitation Division held a meeting on September 2 to vote on Homeplus's rehabilitation plan, which was immediately approved after receiving the necessary votes. The secured creditors voted 100% in favor, while 75.9% of rehabilitation creditors and 100% of shareholders supported the plan. The approval requirements were at least 75% from secured creditors, 66.7% from rehabilitation creditors, and 50% from shareholders.The court stated, "Considering that more than two-thirds of creditors agreed, we recognize that the rehabilitation plan meets the approval criteria."With the court's approval, Homeplus can now proceed with debt repayment, additional fundraising, and store sales as part of its normalization efforts. The court plans to conclude the rehabilitation process once repayments begin as outlined in the plan.In July, Homeplus faced a decision to terminate its rehabilitation process due to financial difficulties, but it managed to recover by securing a 200 billion won DIP loan from Meritz Financial Group, backed by a personal guarantee from Kim Byung-joo, chairman of MBK Partners. Following this, the termination decision was canceled, and operations at the temporarily closed 67 key stores resumed on August 13.However, the approval of the rehabilitation plan does not guarantee normalization. Remaining challenges include the repayment of over 500 billion won in unpaid supplier debts and securing additional operating funds, as well as restoring store profitability. Kim Kwang-il, co-CEO of Homeplus and vice chairman of MBK Partners, noted that 66.3% of the public creditors have agreed to the repayment plan.If repayments do not proceed as outlined in the rehabilitation plan, the court may decide to terminate the approval, which could lead to bankruptcy being declared by the court's authority, making the future of Homeplus dependent on the implementation of its plans. 2026-09-02 17:40:00