Korea set to drive next wave of AI progress as global benchmark

Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, speaks during the Future Tech Forum Series talk on artificial intelligence on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Tuesday. Courtesy of SK Group

GYEONGJU, North Gyeongsang Province — Korea stands ready to lead as a global testbed for tackling critical artificial intelligence (AI) bottlenecks, as the nation navigates a pivotal moment where rapid AI advancements are redefining the global technological order and ushering in a new era of innovation, according to SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won on Tuesday.

At the Future Tech Forum Series talk on AI, held in Gyeongju as a side event for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit, Chey, who is also chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), said that Korea has the potential to address emerging barriers and polarization in AI development.

“We’re now shifting from the reasoning AI era to the age of agentic AI … With rapid development and change, these advances are bound to create bottlenecks around the world, whenever a breakthrough or adequate supply falls short,” Chey said during his opening remarks.

“Korea, with its proven ability to adapt quickly to new challenges, can become a testbed for solving these bottlenecks, as we’ve shown in the past with the internet and mobile revolutions.”

Emphasizing Korea’s two-track strategy to develop localized sovereign AI nationwide, while also deepening global cooperation, Chey said the country’s models and applications could serve as efficient and cost-effective precedents for other nations.

“Korea is developing its own models. While our models might not always match the cutting edge of big tech, if we focus on making them as efficient and cost-effective as possible, and keep pace and adapt quickly, Korea’s approach could set an example for many other countries down the line,” he said, adding it goes the same for the application and regulation of the new technology.

“We’re moving fast on all these fronts. If Korea stays ahead in these areas, we’ll become a global testbed and benchmark, helping drive AI progress around the world.”

Amazon Web Services (AWS) CEO Matt Garman speaks during a fireside chat for the Future Tech Forum Series in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Tuesday. Courtesy of AWS

Ha Jung-woo, presidential secretary for AI, echoed this forward-looking vision, unveiling ambitious plans to position Korea as the AI capital of Asia through major public-private investments and international partnerships.

Ha highlighted recent agreements with global leaders such as major investment company BlackRock and ChatGPT developer OpenAI, while detailing a more than threefold increase in next year’s government budget for AI.

“Korea’s world-class tech infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and creative K-culture give it a unique edge to drive a new era of growth as industry and culture converge through AI,” he said.

“We aim to advance people-centered, inclusive AI so everyone can benefit, enhancing quality of life and cultural richness, and sharing our progress globally. This year’s APEC event marks the start of that effort.”

As part of the session, Amazon Web Services (AWS) CEO Matt Garman and Deloitte Global AI Leader Nitin Mittal participated in a fireside chat on the future of AI and regional innovation, sharing their insights and perspectives on how AI can drive balanced regional development.

“When you look at a technology stack, no one AI stack can be built in any one country. You need foundries and TSMC, memory and high-bandwidth memory built here in Korea, cloud technologies that are built in the United States and networking technologies built elsewhere,” Garman said.

“It’s a global economy and a global technology stack. That said, there are clear benefits to having local infrastructure as well. That’s part of what we’re partnering on, not just local infrastructure but also ensuring that it’s secure, sovereign by design and responsive to regional needs, so balanced growth can happen everywhere.”

Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon, OpenAI Korea General Manager Kim Kyoung-hoon and Meta Vice President Simon Milner also presented their companies’ advancements in AI innovation and real-world applications across industries.

The session ended with a roundtable discussion with Kim, Ha, Mittal, SK Telecom CEO Ryu Young-sang and Stanford University computer science professor Choi Ye-jin, exploring ways AI can contribute to ethical growth, innovation and prosperity across APEC economies.