ICT minister touts AI infrastructure, R&D expansion in 1st-year review

Deputy Prime Minister and Science and ICT Minister Bae Kyung-hoon highlighted expanded artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, record research funding and regulatory reforms as key achievements during his first year in office, while calling for more aggressive investment to make Korea one of the world's top three AI powers. During a press briefing in Seoul on Friday, Bae said the ministry had focused on rebuilding research ecosystems while accelerating AI development through infrastructure investment and institutional reforms. In the past year, the ministry has allocated 35.5 trillion won ($23.6 billion) in research and development spending, up more than 20 percent from a year earlier and the largest on record. "The ministry prioritized revitalizing the research ecosystem above all else,” he said, adding the ministry has also established institutional foundations through the AI Basic Act and pursued deregulation to encourage large-scale investment and innovation. "Built on robust infrastructure and institutional foundations, our proprietary AI models are being deployed across indu