Felix Kim

Artificial intelligence (AI) is central to South’s Korea’s defense planning, as demonstrated by the recent launch of the nation’s Defense AI Center and its pursuit of technologies such as “on-device AI” to enhance command and control in battlefield situations and offset a shrinking labor force.

By pooling the resources of South Korea’s civilian technology and defense sectors, Seoul seeks to use AI to deter and defend against threats posed by North Korea and other potential adversaries.

After a year of planning by AI and defense technology experts from the Ministry of National Defense (MND), the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, universities, and private sector firms, the Defense AI Center opened in April 2024, the MND reported. With a full-time staff of 110 active-duty military personnel and civilian researchers, the center aims to be “an organization dedicated to policy support and technology development to foster a strong artificial intelligence science and technology force.”

The center will focus on developing technologies such as AI-operated crewed and uncrewed integrated systems, and enhanced battlefield situational awareness, according to the MND. It also will foster collaboration among industry, academia and research institutions to adapt civilian AI technologies for military use.

“In order to secure AI-based cutting-edge power in a short period of time, the combination of advanced AI technology in the private sector and national defense is not an option but a necessity,” said Yoo Dong-jun, head of the MND’s Power Resources Management Department and co-chair of the center’s promotion team, according to Artificial Intelligence Times, a South Korean publication.

The MND and the Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology also agreed to enhance cooperation in defense science and technology to build an “elite advanced military.” The agreement focuses on priorities including technology transfers between the government and private sector, verification of research and development, and personnel management.

The AI center is a project of Defense Innovation 4.0, which was launched in March 2023 by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration. The initiative seeks to use advanced technology to contend with the evolving security environment, including North Korean nuclear and missile threats, and the decline in military service resources caused by a decreasing population.

“Defense Innovation 4.0 is expected to have the effect of strengthening deterrence and response capabilities, solving the problem of military service resource reduction, and improving operational efficiency,” Yoo Mubong, the MND’s special advisor for future innovation, said in a news release.

On-device AI aligns with the initiative’s objectives. The technology allows AI to operate directly on a mobile device without server or cloud connectivity, providing enhanced security and increased flexibility, among other advantages. The MND is pursuing the use of on-device AI as a core technology for crewed and uncrewed combat systems in battlefield situations where network availability cannot be guaranteed.

The technology was the headline topic at South Korea’s National Defense University in May 2024, as representatives from defense industry leaders and tech startups met with defense officials and academics to examine its potential military applications.

Felix Kim is a FORUM contributor reporting from Seoul, South Korea.