Bae Kyunghoon: "Advancing to Top 3 AI Powers... Mobilizing National Capabilities in AI, R&D, and Talent"

Opening Statement by Science Minister Nominee at Confirmation Hearing
Session Delayed Three Hours Due to Ruling and Opposition Party Clash
"Achieving Major AI Transformation, R&D Virtuous Cycle, and Becoming a Talent Powerhouse"

Yonhap News

Bae Kyunghoon, the nominee for Minister of Science and ICT, stated at his National Assembly confirmation hearing held on July 14, "At this moment, the capabilities of science, technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) that will lead this era of great transformation are more important than ever." He added, "As an AI expert and scientist who has worked at the forefront of industry, I will leverage my field experience to deliver tangible results that the public can truly feel."

The hearing was originally scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., but due to differences between the ruling and opposition parties, it was delayed by about three hours and only officially commenced at 1 p.m. The People Power Party raised concerns over the forced passage of the Broadcasting Act amendment, stating that the hearing could not proceed normally, while the Democratic Party of Korea countered that "the confirmation hearing for the minister nominee should not be turned into a battleground for political strife." On this day, People Power Party lawmakers protested by attaching printed placards to their laptops with slogans such as "Choi Minhee Dictatorship OUT" and "Lee Jaemyung, Cooperate."

After the confusion, the hearing finally resumed at 1 p.m., where nominee Bae presented his policy direction based on three pillars: AI, research and development (R&D), and talent cultivation. In his opening remarks, Bae said, "The world is now at a civilizational turning point brought about by cutting-edge science, technology, and AI," and added, "Countries around the world are fiercely competing to secure innovative capabilities that will guarantee technological supremacy and the happiness of their people." He emphasized, "In this era of rapid transformation, we must proactively lead change to create opportunities for the future of the Republic of Korea."

As policy directions, he proposed three goals: advancing to become one of the top three AI powers, restoring the R&D ecosystem, and establishing Korea as a powerhouse of AI and science and technology talent. Bae stated, "We will swiftly build AI infrastructure, including a national AI computing center and securing advanced GPUs, and support private investment as well." He added, "We will strengthen choice and autonomy so that all citizens can access AI without barriers and reasonably use high-quality communication services."

He also said, "We will innovate the government R&D investment system and establish a researcher-centered R&D management framework," and added, "We will actively introduce AI into research fields such as basic science to accelerate the achievement of innovative research results."

In addition, he stated, "We will provide comprehensive support throughout the entire life cycle so that Korea's outstanding talent can grow without interruption, attract overseas talent, and ensure that domestic talent can conduct research to their fullest potential."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.