South Korean major telecommunications operator SK Telecom announced that its consortium has been selected by the country’s Ministry of Science and ICT as a core team for a project focused on developing a proprietary AI foundation model.

The SKT consortium includes local firms Krafton, 42dot, Rebellions, Liner, and Selectstar, as well as researchers from Seoul National University, KAIST, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The project aims to create a full-stack AI platform, covering semiconductors, models, data, and services, with plans to open-source parts of the technology.

SK Telecom said it will use its supercomputer and in-house resources for model development, while Rebellions will contribute with its neural processing unit technology.

The consortium plans to develop models that process multiple data types, such as text, images, speech, and video.

SK Telecom has been working on its LLMs since 2018.

🔗 Source: SK Telecom

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Korea’s pursuit of AI sovereignty follows decades-long pattern rooted in language preservation

South Korea’s focus on developing proprietary AI models reflects a consistent national strategy that dates back to the 1980s, when researchers emphasized Korean language processing as essential for technological independence.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, while the US and Europe experienced an “AI winter,” South Korean researchers specifically focused on Hangul text and speech recognition, arguing that without proper localization, computers would remain inaccessible to average Korean citizens1.

This historical precedent connects to today’s consortium approach, where SK Telecom’s A.X models demonstrate “world-class ability in understanding Korean context,” and the broader government initiative aims to challenge foreign technologies like ChatGPT2.

The pattern shows Korea consistently views AI development through the lens of cultural and technological sovereignty, not just commercial competition.

2️⃣ Government mega-investments follow perceived technology threats from foreign competitors

Korea’s response to technological challenges consistently involves massive government funding and consortium-based approaches to rapidly close competitive gaps.

After Google’s AlphaGo defeated Korean Go champion Lee Sedol in 2016, the government immediately announced a ₩1 trillion ($860 million) AI investment program3.

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