Science ministry to inject $3.5 bil. to develop frontier AI model

South Korea's science ministry plans to invest 4.7 trillion won ($3.49 billion) to develop a homegrown frontier AI model, with the funds included in its 9.4 trillion-won AI budget for 2027. Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon emphasized the need for a sovereign frontier model to avoid subordination amid U.S.-China geopolitical competition.

Science ministry plans to invest 4.7 trillion won $3.49 billion for a project to develop a homegrown artificial intelligence AI model that will be on par with global frontier models, government officials said Tuesday. The science ministry plans to form an independent fund to that end, according to the officials. The money will be included in the 9.4 trillion-won AI budget proposed by the ministry in its 2027 budget request. Exact details of the project have yet to be decided, an official from the science ministry said. The latest endeavor comes amid growing calls for increased government support in developing a homegrown frontier AI model, as the global race to develop highly advanced AI is intensifying due to massive capital investments and unprecedented reasoning upgrades. Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon has stressed the importance of creating a sovereign frontier model to prevent Korea from becoming subordinate to other nations, especially at a time of intensifying geopolitical competition between the United States and China.