Bank of Korea BOKI AI Debuts: Naver Partnership Powers Sovereign Financial Intelligence

The vault of national data meets the power of the cloud. The Bank of Korea (BOK) just dropped a major update on its digital transformation. On January 21, 2026, the central bank unveiled BOKI (Bank Of Korea Intelligence), an in-house AI application developed with South Korean internet giant Naver Corp. to revolutionize its internal research and data analytics.

Bank of Korea BOKI AI Core Capabilities

Built on Naver's cloud infrastructure and large language model (LLM), BOKI isn't just a generic chatbot. It's a specialized system structured around five core pillars that align with the central bank’s mission: answering complex economic queries, summarizing research materials, analyzing vast datasets, and translating official publications.

The project’s roots go back to 2020, when the BOK first started building a data governance framework. Full-scale development of BOKI kicked off in 2024. By integrating this proprietary system within its internal network, the bank ensures that sensitive financial data stays secure while leveraging AI to boost efficiency.

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The Era of Sovereign AI

BOK Governor Rhee Chang-yong emphasized that a "sovereign AI" is vital for understanding the unique history and institutional features of South Korea's economy. "The cooperation between the BOK and Naver would serve as a catalyst to invigorate the country's AI industry through public-private collaboration," he stated.

Naver founder Lee Hae-jin echoed this sentiment, noting that the initiative recognizes the BOK's data as a "critical national strategic asset." The goal is to elevate South Korea’s financial intelligence to the next level, ensuring smarter monetary policy and long-term financial stability.