South Korea plans $3.49bn push to build its own frontier AI models

On 6 October 2026 it was reported that South Korea plans to back domestic frontier AI models with 4.7 trillion won (about $3.49bn) in government equity investment, to take on China's leading models. The money sits in a draft 2027 budget and still needs parliamentary approval. A separate funding line will support adoption of Korean-built models in the domestic economy. The government will also launch an open competition open to startups, and the three existing competition entrants, LG AI Research, SK Telecom and Upstage, will not automatically receive extra funding.

Written by AI from the reports · updated 10 d ago