Baek Kyung-hoon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT, highlighted the rapid development of Physical AI in South Korea, stating, "If we set high goals and proceed quickly, we can become the world's leading country." He emphasized the need for accelerated investment and technology development in response to advancements in China's Physical AI sector.
Speaking at the Physical AI Alliance meeting during the 'Physical AI Tech Week' session at COEX in Seoul on October 13, Baek expressed a desire to see tangible evidence of South Korea's potential to achieve global leadership in Physical AI. He noted, "With the introduction of humanoid robots in China, I am still questioning whether our plans are sufficient, and my thirst for answers has not been quenched," while also acknowledging that South Korea's Physical AI industry is keeping pace.
Baek assessed the upgrades at the Jeonbuk and Gyeongnam demonstration labs, stating they have progressed rapidly since January. He remarked, "While I had concerns about the need to develop our own software without relying on data, models, or foreign solutions, it seems we are catching up faster than expected."
He promised government support for the swiftly evolving AI industry, saying, "The pace of AI development is advancing more quickly than we predicted last year. I hope we can set goals that prevent regrets in 1 to 5 years, and that both the government and businesses can establish the maximum achievable targets." He also urged for increased investment.
Baek expressed hope that South Korea can develop models that can be widely adopted domestically, given its data and industrial capabilities.
The meeting was organized to review the achievements of the second phase of the Physical AI Alliance, which was launched in June and operates as a collaborative framework focused on execution.
Co-chair of the Physical AI Alliance, Cho Jun-hee, president of the Korea AI and Software Industry Association, stated, "The supply chain is diverse, covering robotics, on-device technology, and security. Without moving from solidarity to alliance, it will be difficult to establish a proper industry," emphasizing the need for a collaborative approach to Physical AI.
Subsequent discussions included the achievements and future plans of three working groups. Lee Jae-wook, head of the technology full-stack group and an AI researcher at Seoul National University, presented plans to secure K-Physical full-stack technology by consolidating domestic AI models and AI semiconductor capabilities.
Park Sang-won, executive at KT and head of the vertical industry bridge group, explained the group's focus on matching technology companies with demand firms seeking to implement Physical AI, discussing plans for demonstration and commercialization projects in defense, marine, and manufacturing sectors.
Jang Young-jae, a professor at KAIST and head of the governance group, emphasized the importance of creating business models and developing the industrial ecosystem. He noted, "We are also working on identifying export possibilities and collaboration opportunities with various foreign companies while establishing relevant legal frameworks."
Before the meeting, Baek visited the Physical AI exhibition, spending over 40 minutes reviewing key technologies and demonstration cases from domestic companies and research institutions, assessing their applicability in industrial settings.
Speaking at the Physical AI Alliance meeting during the 'Physical AI Tech Week' session at COEX in Seoul on October 13, Baek expressed a desire to see tangible evidence of South Korea's potential to achieve global leadership in Physical AI. He noted, "With the introduction of humanoid robots in China, I am still questioning whether our plans are sufficient, and my thirst for answers has not been quenched," while also acknowledging that South Korea's Physical AI industry is keeping pace.
Baek assessed the upgrades at the Jeonbuk and Gyeongnam demonstration labs, stating they have progressed rapidly since January. He remarked, "While I had concerns about the need to develop our own software without relying on data, models, or foreign solutions, it seems we are catching up faster than expected."
He promised government support for the swiftly evolving AI industry, saying, "The pace of AI development is advancing more quickly than we predicted last year. I hope we can set goals that prevent regrets in 1 to 5 years, and that both the government and businesses can establish the maximum achievable targets." He also urged for increased investment.
Baek expressed hope that South Korea can develop models that can be widely adopted domestically, given its data and industrial capabilities.
The meeting was organized to review the achievements of the second phase of the Physical AI Alliance, which was launched in June and operates as a collaborative framework focused on execution.
Co-chair of the Physical AI Alliance, Cho Jun-hee, president of the Korea AI and Software Industry Association, stated, "The supply chain is diverse, covering robotics, on-device technology, and security. Without moving from solidarity to alliance, it will be difficult to establish a proper industry," emphasizing the need for a collaborative approach to Physical AI.
Subsequent discussions included the achievements and future plans of three working groups. Lee Jae-wook, head of the technology full-stack group and an AI researcher at Seoul National University, presented plans to secure K-Physical full-stack technology by consolidating domestic AI models and AI semiconductor capabilities.
Park Sang-won, executive at KT and head of the vertical industry bridge group, explained the group's focus on matching technology companies with demand firms seeking to implement Physical AI, discussing plans for demonstration and commercialization projects in defense, marine, and manufacturing sectors.
Jang Young-jae, a professor at KAIST and head of the governance group, emphasized the importance of creating business models and developing the industrial ecosystem. He noted, "We are also working on identifying export possibilities and collaboration opportunities with various foreign companies while establishing relevant legal frameworks."
Before the meeting, Baek visited the Physical AI exhibition, spending over 40 minutes reviewing key technologies and demonstration cases from domestic companies and research institutions, assessing their applicability in industrial settings.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.