South Korea plans $3.5B frontier AI project

South Korea will continue its sovereign AI foundation-model competition while launching a separate frontier-AI program backed by a proposed 4.7 trillion won ($3.5 billion) investment. The new effort is intended to push beyond current model capabilities and address strategic and cybersecurity concerns highlighted by advances such as Anthropic’s Claude Mythos. The government plans to select participants through an open process, potentially involving companies, startups, universities or a special-purpose vehicle, with development expected to begin in 2027 after budget approval. Meanwhile, the existing competition will proceed to its final selection, and the government is considering shifting its emphasis toward deploying Korean models in industry.