South Korea’s government is developing a high-performance frontier AI system to counter hacking threats as lawmakers question whether AI safety funding is keeping pace with broader investment. At a National Assembly audit on October 6, lawmaker Lee Ju-hee said next year’s AI performance and infrastructure budget is 6.149 trillion won, while safety and trust programs receive only 27.4 billion won.
Science and ICT Minister Bae Kyung-hoon said the government would expand staffing and funding for AI safety research and strengthen sanctions against companies facing repeated cyber incidents. The minister also said frontier AI development is being pursued for cybersecurity and other national security challenges.