Kakao Mobility signs MOU with Korea University institute on defense AI
In short
Kakao Mobility said on Oct. 6 that it signed a memorandum of understanding with Korea University’s C5ISRT Convergence Research Institute to cooperate on defense artificial intelligence. The two sides will work on AI-based command and control and surveillance, an integrated control platform for manned and unmanned systems, and training of defense AI specialists, and are taking part in a military-industry-academia cooperation center in Yongsan, Seoul.
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Kakao Mobility said on Oct. 6 that it signed a memorandum of understanding with Korea University’s C5ISRT Convergence Research Institute for cooperation on research and projects in the defense artificial intelligence field. The company said the agreement is intended to apply its accumulated AI-based demand forecasting, optimal dispatch, route optimization and control technology to defense. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The two sides said they will cooperate on AI-based command and control and surveillance and reconnaissance, on development of an integrated control and management platform for manned and unmanned systems, and on training defense AI specialists. They also plan to develop the manned-unmanned integrated control platform into a common, standard platform for the defense field, according to the reports. Kakao Mobility’s models for the work include drones, multi-legged walking robots and unmanned ground vehicles, which would be controlled and deployed through a single platform. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The C5ISRT Convergence Research Institute studies advanced command and control and battlefield awareness systems that integrate command, control, communications, computers, cyber, information, surveillance, reconnaissance and target processing. It is led by director Kang Seok-joong, described in the business press as an expert in defense technology management and defense program administration. The institute said it was recently selected, together with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as the lead organization to operate a military-industry-academia cooperation center in Yongsan, Seoul, and the two sides are taking part in that project. Seoul Economic Daily and Maeil Business also reported that the defense ministry is building “defense AX hubs” in five regions nationwide to expand civilian-military AI cooperation; Yonhap mentioned only the Yongsan center. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Kakao Mobility CEO Ryu Geung-sun said the company wants to apply its mobility technology and platform operating capability to the defense field, adding that it will support “defense AX” to help strengthen domestic defense industry competitiveness and secure capacity to respond to future warfare. Institute director Kang Seok-joong said that as the use of varied manned and unmanned systems grows, C5ISRT capability to integrate and analyze large amounts of battlefield information and connect it quickly to command, control and decision-making is emerging as a key element of future defense. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The documents describe manned-unmanned composite systems as arrangements in which manned platforms crewed and operated by people work alongside one or more unmanned systems on joint missions, presented as a key technology for future warfare as troop resources decline and the use of drones, robots and unmanned ground vehicles grows. No financial terms, project schedules or contract values were given in the reports. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The MOU moves a consumer mobility platform’s demand-forecasting and dispatch technology into the defense sector, a step the company frames as support for “defense AX” and domestic defense competitiveness. It also ties the company to a military-industry-academia hub in Yongsan that the institute was selected to run with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, under a defense ministry program to expand civilian-military AI cooperation.
Key facts
- Kakao Mobility said it signed a memorandum of understanding with Korea University’s C5ISRT Convergence Research Institute on mutual development in the defense AI field. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The cooperation covers AI-based command and control and surveillance and reconnaissance, development of an integrated control platform for manned and unmanned systems, and training of defense AI specialists. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Kakao Mobility plans to apply its AI demand forecasting, dispatch optimization, routing and control technology to the defense sector. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The two sides aim to develop the manned-unmanned integrated control platform into a common, standard platform for the defense field. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The C5ISRT Convergence Research Institute was recently selected, together with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as the lead organization to run a military-industry-academia cooperation center in Yongsan, Seoul. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Kakao Mobility CEO Ryu Geung-sun said the company wants to apply its mobility technology and platform operating capability to the defense field and support “defense AX.” [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Institute director Kang Seok-joong said C5ISRT capability to integrate and analyze battlefield information and connect it quickly to command, control and decision-making is emerging as a key element of future defense. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Documents 2 and 3 say the defense ministry is building “defense AX hubs” in five regions nationwide to expand civilian-military AI cooperation. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Kakao Mobility signed an MOU with Korea University’s C5ISRT Convergence Research Institute on defense AI cooperation. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The three stated areas of cooperation are AI-based command and control and surveillance reconnaissance, an integrated control platform for manned and unmanned systems, and defense AI workforce training. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The institute was selected with the Joint Chiefs of Staff to run the military-industry-academia cooperation center in Yongsan, Seoul. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Kakao Mobility CEO Ryu Geung-sun said the company will apply its mobility technology and platform operation capability to the defense field. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- No financial terms, contract value or schedule for the cooperation are given. All three documents describe only a memorandum of understanding with no figures or timeline for projects.
- Whether the institute’s selection as lead operator of the Yongsan center is already final or still in process is not stated beyond “recently selected.” The documents say the selection happened recently but give no date or further detail.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yonhap reports that Kakao Mobility signed the MOU with Korea University’s C5ISRT Convergence Research Institute. [ 1 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reports the MOU as cooperation on defense AX and development of manned-unmanned composite systems. [ 2 ]
- Maeil Business reports Kakao Mobility is entering the defense AX market with its taxi dispatch AI. [ 3 ]