Leaders of Five National AI Teams Invited to Presidential Appointment Ceremony... Kakao and Nexon Also Attending
by Lee Myeonghwan
Published 14 Aug.2025 10:53(KST)
Leaders of Elite AI Teams and Industry Representatives
Among 80 National Appointees to Receive Certificates from President Lee
At the presidential national appointment ceremony held in celebration of the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day, the leaders of five elite teams spearheading the "Independent Artificial Intelligence (AI) Foundation Model Project" (National Representative AI) will be in attendance. In addition to these companies, Kakao and Nexon have also received invitations.
According to the IT industry on August 14, key executives from companies leading the National Representative AI elite teams, as well as representatives from IT firms, have been invited to the 21st Presidential National Appointment Ceremony, "80 Years of Liberation: Building the Future with Sovereignty of the People," which will take place on the evening of August 15 at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. These individuals have been selected as part of the 80 national representatives who will receive appointment certificates from President Lee Jaemyung.
The list of invited business leaders includes: Lim Woohyeong, Head of LG AI Research; Kim Yuwon, CEO of Naver Cloud; Kim Sunghoon, CEO of Upstage; Yoo Youngsang, CEO of SK Telecom; and Lee Yeonsu, Head of NC AI. They have been invited in recognition of their participation in the Independent AI Foundation Project. Selected as elite teams on August 4, they will receive government support in the form of data, talent, and graphics processing units (GPUs) to develop independent AI foundation models at a global level.
In addition, Kakao CEO Chung Shina has been invited. Kakao was recommended for its role as a "National AI Platform." During the inauguration ceremony of the Ulsan AI Data Center in June, President Lee specifically mentioned CEO Chung, stating, "The greatness of our people is reflected in the excellence of our companies, thanks to the outstanding abilities of individuals like her. These capabilities are leading our industries and economy. I believe that in this era of advanced AI, they will play a leading and exemplary role on the global stage."
Kang Daehyun, CEO of Nexon Korea, is also included among the national representatives. Nexon Korea was recommended as the "representative gaming company of Korea." The National Policy Planning Committee announced its five-year national policy plan the previous day, identifying the cultivation of core K-content industries and related sectors, as well as the strengthening of the foundation for cultural and artistic creation and enjoyment, as one of its 123 key policy tasks. Among the core K-content industries, gaming was highlighted. During the last presidential election, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea established a special committee on gaming policy and submitted policy proposals reflecting the demands of industry stakeholders and game users to President Lee.
Meanwhile, the event will also be attended by key national figures, members of the diplomatic corps in Korea, and representatives from a wide range of fields, including politics, economy, society, culture, arts, sports, science and technology, education, labor, women's affairs, and industry.
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