Gov’t unveils 3-year road map for AI, 6G push

Science and ICT Minister Bae Kyung-hoon speaks during a roundtable discussion for physical AI industry at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in Daejeon, March 23. Courtesy of Ministry of Science and ICT

The Ministry of Science and ICT has approved a three-year national road map to pivot from an ICT powerhouse to the world’s top three artificial intelligence (AI) leader by 2028, anchoring the push on 6G commercialization, strengthening AI technologies and AI transformation across all industries.

The ministry announced Sunday the approval of a basic plan to promote ICT and convergence, along with a comprehensive plan for an intelligent information society for 2026 to 2028, at an Information Communications Strategy Committee meeting held Friday.

Jointly developed with related ministries, the strategy outlines four key pillars: expanding national digital infrastructure, strengthening digital capabilities, advancing national intelligent informatization and fostering an inclusive digital environment.

On the infrastructure side, the government will upgrade nationwide 5G networks to standalone mode and accelerate development of next-generation 6G technologies, aiming for commercial rollout in 2030.

It will also tighten information security management, bolster public and private cyber defense capabilities and build a national integrated data platform to underpin high-quality data ecosystems.

To maximize digital competitiveness, the government will prioritize support for key technologies, including AI, semiconductors, quantum computing and blockchain.

It also aims to cultivate talent pipelines from high school through graduate-level education to nurture practical, cross-disciplinary experts aligned with industry demand, while backing digital startups’ global expansion and encouraging private-sector investment.

On the industrial front, the plan seeks to accelerate AI adoption across sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture and fisheries and ports to boost productivity.

The government will also integrate digital and AI technologies into public services and safety systems — from disaster response to industrial safety and everyday protection — with the goal of building a world-class intelligent government.

In parallel, the ministry will scale up AI digital training programs and distribution of assistive ICT devices for underserved populations. It will also introduce a data safety option to ensure users retain access to basic communication services even after using up their data plans, reinforcing a more inclusive digital environment.