Korea to select two teams for independent AI foundation model in February
In short
South Korea’s science ministry said the Dokpamo programme for independent AI foundation models will keep to its original plan and pick two of LG AI Research, SK Telecom and Upstage in a third-stage evaluation in mid-February next year. From next year the government will run its AI model policy on two tracks: a large-scale Frontier AI development project and diffusion of the domestic AI industry. The announcement follows concern that Dokpamo was effectively being halted.
Why it matters
The decision sets aside, for now, speculation that the state-backed foundation model programme would be wound down as the government concentrates resources on a larger Frontier AI effort, and it fixes the shape of state AI support for next year. The documents treat AI as a national strategic technology and frontier AI capability as a factor in national competitiveness, so the two-track structure will decide which Korean firms receive government resources.
Key facts
- The government will select two final teams in the third-stage evaluation of the Dokpamo (independent AI foundation model) project in mid-February next year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The three remaining candidates are LG AI Research, SK Telecom and Upstage. [ 3 , 5 ]
- Dokpamo supports Korean companies developing their own AI foundation models with graphics processing units and data, according to Dong-A Ilbo. [ 3 , 5 ]
- Five elite teams were selected last year and three remain after stage evaluations. [ 3 , 5 ]
- From next year the government will reorganise AI model policy into two tracks, running a separate Frontier AI development project alongside Dokpamo. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Asia Economy reported the separate Frontier AI project is intended to let small and medium-sized companies and startups take part rather than concentrating benefits on particular companies. [ 2 ]
- The plan follows controversy over whether Dokpamo would be effectively halted while the government pushed the large-scale Frontier AI project. [ 3 , 5 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Which two of the three remaining teams will be selected, and how the third-stage evaluation will be judged. The documents name the three candidates and the mid-February selection date but do not say who will win or on what criteria.
- The scale, budget, timetable and participants of the Frontier AI development project. The documents describe it only as receiving large-scale resources and do not give figures or names.
- What the reference to “미토스” means in Asia Economy’s report. The outlet cites it as a development that raised AI to a national strategic technology but does not explain it in the available summary.
- What an official surnamed Ryu said about the plan. The Asia Economy summary is cut off mid-sentence at that name.
- The city where the announcement was made. No document states a location.
- Three candidates remain in Dokpamo: LG AI Research, SK Telecom and Upstage. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Asia Economy reports in a flash bulletin that the government said the Dokpamo third-stage evaluation will select two final companies in February next year. [ 1 ]
- Asia Economy follows with a report that Dokpamo will select two companies as planned and that a separate Frontier AI project will be pursued in parallel. [ 2 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reports, citing the Ministry of Science and ICT, that two of LG AI Research, SK Telecom and Upstage will be selected in a third-stage evaluation in mid-February. [ 3 ]
- Korea Economic Daily reports the two-team selection under the headline that Dokpamo will pick two teams as scheduled and build an AI ecosystem on two tracks. [ 4 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo publishes a follow-up (dated October 6) on the same plan and the reorganisation of AI model policy into two tracks from next year. [ 5 ]