Government Launches Cross-Ministerial AX Council to Become a Global Top-Three AI and Top-Five Science and Technology Power, Aiming for Tangible R&D Results Within Five Years

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The Financial News reported that the government will establish a pan-government cooperation framework for AI transformation (AX) to become a global top-three power in artificial intelligence (AI) and a top-five power in science and technology. The new framework will provide one-stop support for every stage of AX, from implementation to diffusion. The government also plans to finalize an investment strategy within the first half of the year so that scientific and technological research outputs can be clearly realized within five years through a united public-private "one-team" approach.
The government announced on the 28th that it held a Ministerial Meeting on Science and Technology chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon. Participants discussed the draft direction for the Second National R&D Mid- to Long-term Investment Strategy (2026–2030), which is the government’s top-level research and development (R&D) strategy. They also reviewed the draft Government Full-Cycle One-Stop Support Plan for AI Transformation (AX) Projects, the draft Plan to Expand the Use of Public Works for AI Training, and the draft Second Comprehensive Information Security Plan. Based on these discussions, the government intends to draw up the K-Moonshot Strategy for the Korean Genesis Mission.
“To achieve the goals of becoming a global top-three power in AI and a top-five power in science and technology, we need to respond with far greater speed than we do now,” Bae Kyung-hoon stated. He added, “We will pool the capabilities of each ministry, bring together our national strengths in AI, semiconductors, and manufacturing, and move policies forward swiftly.”
First, the Second National R&D Mid- to Long-term Investment Strategy, which lays out a five-year blueprint for national research and development investment, will be pursued in a way that delivers concrete results within five years. The government will rigorously promote mission-oriented R&D and invest seamlessly across the full cycle from research and development to market creation. At the same time, it will establish a one-team strategy that brings together the capabilities of the public and private sectors. The plan is to finalize a mid- to long-term national R&D investment strategy covering this year through 2030 within the first half of the year.
The government also decided to build a pan-government AX cooperation system for its AX projects. This year, it is investing a total of 9.9 trillion won in funding to foster the AI ecosystem and is rapidly putting in place key national AX infrastructure, including securing advanced graphics processing units (GPUs) and developing indigenous AI foundation models.
To this end, the government has prepared the Government Full-Cycle One-Stop Support Plan for AI Transformation (AX) Projects to provide tailored, on-demand support for resources and consulting needed in the field across all AX stages—planning, implementation, and dissemination. In the planning stage, it will select "national projects" and concentrate available government resources, such as GPUs, on them. It will operate an AX Advisory Panel to offer consulting on AX planning and will also develop AX Guidelines containing information on major domestic companies and products.
During the implementation stage, each ministry will receive customized support for the technologies and infrastructure it needs, including GPUs, AI models, and talent. The government also plans to provide support and consulting on compliance with relevant regulations such as the Framework Act on the Development of Artificial Intelligence (AI Basic Act) and the Personal Information Protection Act. Outstanding AX projects will receive follow-up support, including additional AI infrastructure, and the government will help disseminate and scale them at the national level. It will also establish AI clusters by using regional areas as testbeds for advanced AI.
“Through full-cycle, one-stop support for government AX projects, we will break down silos between ministries and expand the opening of public data to underpin the growth of the AI industry,” Bae Kyung-hoon emphasized.
The government will also expand the use of public works for AI training. It will introduce KOGL Type 0 under the Korea Open Government License (KOGL), which allows public works to be used freely and unconditionally for any purpose, including AI training. In addition, it will create a new AI Type that keeps the existing license conditions in place but permits free use of the works specifically for AI training. The Pan-Governmental Comprehensive Information Security Plan established in October last year has also been refined to strengthen practical damage-compensation mechanisms and to introduce incentive measures such as the adoption of white-hat hackers.
The Ministerial Meeting on Science and Technology is composed of 21 members, including Deputy Prime Minister Bae Kyung-hoon; the ministers of the Ministry of Finance and Economy, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS), Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, and Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL); the minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MOEF); the chairs of the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC); the head of the Office for Government Policy Coordination; the head of the Office of Science, Technology and Innovation; the Senior Presidential Secretary for AI; the third deputy director of the Office of National Security (ONS); the vice chair of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Committee; and the chair of the Presidential Committee for the Era of Local Autonomy.
jiany@fnnews.com Yeon Ji-an Reporter