Naver and NC Soft Out: Who Leads the South Korea Government AI Foundation Model Race?
Naver and NC Soft were eliminated from the South Korea government AI foundation model project on Jan 15, 2026. LG, SKT, and Upstage proceed. Here's why originality mattered.
The race for South Korea's national AI has its first casualties, and they're industry heavyweights. On January 15, 2026, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced that consortiums led by Naver Cloud and NC AI have been eliminated from the government-led competition to develop the nation's homegrown AI foundation models.
South Korea Government AI Foundation Model: First Round Winners
With the goal of becoming one of the world's top three AI powerhouses, the government is pouring resources into establishing a sovereign AI infrastructure. The three teams that cleared the first hurdle are led by LG AI Research, SK Telecom, and Upstage. LG emerged as the frontrunner, receiving the highest marks in mathematical capability and knowledge depth.
Naver's Shock Exit and the 'Qwen' Controversy
The most striking news was the elimination of Naver, often considered Korea's AI leader. Experts pointed out a lack of originality, alleging the model incorporated weights from China's Qwen model. Ryu Je-myung, Second Vice Science Minister, didn't hold back, stating that simply using pre-trained weights is like "piggybacking on others' work."
This content is AI-generated based on source articles. While we strive for accuracy, errors may occur. We recommend verifying with the original source.
Related Articles
Naver and NCsoft were eliminated from South Korea's national AI foundation model competition on Jan 15, 2026. LG and SKT advance as the ministry prioritizes originality.
North Korean hackers used ChatGPT, Cursor, and AI web tools to steal $12M in crypto in 90 days—without knowing how to code. What this means for cybersecurity's future.
Anthropic's AI cybersecurity model is reportedly available to the NSA and Commerce Department—but not to CISA, the agency responsible for defending US federal infrastructure. What that gap reveals.
The US defense budget request for FY2027 includes $53.6 billion for drone and autonomous warfare—more than most nations spend on their entire military. What does this mean for global security and the future of war?
Naver and NCsoft were eliminated from South Korea's national AI foundation model competition on Jan 15, 2026. LG and SKT advance as the ministry prioritizes originality.
North Korean hackers used ChatGPT, Cursor, and AI web tools to steal $12M in crypto in 90 days—without knowing how to code. What this means for cybersecurity's future.
Anthropic's AI cybersecurity model is reportedly available to the NSA and Commerce Department—but not to CISA, the agency responsible for defending US federal infrastructure. What that gap reveals.
The US defense budget request for FY2027 includes $53.6 billion for drone and autonomous warfare—more than most nations spend on their entire military. What does this mean for global security and the future of war?
Thoughts
Share your thoughts on this article
Sign in to join the conversation