South Korea to invest $960m in developing AI talent
- ByStartupStory | November 11, 2025
South Korea is making a major national commitment to AI talent development with a planned investment of 1.4 trillion won (approximately $960 million) for the year 2026. The government’s ambitious “AI Talent Development Plan for All” aims to nurture AI skills across all stages of life, from elementary school students to postgraduate researchers and working adults, positioning South Korea as a global AI leader.
The Ministry of Education announced that this unprecedented funding will significantly expand AI education nationwide. Starting at the elementary level, AI-related curriculum hours will increase, and AI-focused schools will grow from 730 this year to 2,000 by 2026, offering students more specialized learning opportunities. The plan also includes designation of Meister high schools specializing in AI and restructuring vocational school departments to focus more on AI disciplines.
At the higher education level, a “fast-track” program will allow exceptional students to complete bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in AI-related fields within five and a half years, down from the usual eight years. This is intended to bring AI talent to industry and research sectors at a younger age. The government will strengthen AI education in regional universities through significant funding, infrastructure improvements such as GPU computing facilities, and faculty recruitment, aiming to reduce regional disparities in AI development.
For working adults, expanded AI and digital skills programs will provide lifelong learning opportunities, supported by education vouchers to ease financial burdens. The plan also includes deployment of about 1,800 digital tutors dedicated to AI and digital literacy across schools.
This comprehensive approach reflects South Korea’s broader strategy under President Lee Jae Myung to triple AI spending overall—to around 10.1 trillion won ($7 billion) in 2026—with investments spanning industrial AI applications, public sector AI adoption, infrastructure, and human capital development. The government sees AI talent cultivation as critical to sustaining economic growth and technological competitiveness amid intensifying global AI race primarily involving the US and China.
Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin emphasized that AI talent development is vital for national survival and future prosperity, pledging to make AI education accessible to all citizens and nurture diverse expertise to lead the AI transformation era.
South Korea’s $960 million investment in AI talent development stands out as a comprehensive, life-long learning-driven national blueprint to foster skilled AI professionals and innovators, from classrooms to research labs to workplaces, positioning the country among the world’s top three AI powerhouses.
This initiative also addresses concerns about regional imbalances in AI capabilities by boosting universities and infrastructure outside the Seoul metropolitan area, fostering more balanced national AI progress. As AI continues to reshape economies and societies, South Korea’s multi-tiered strategy serves as a model for building robust AI human capital foundations aligned with industrial and technological ambitions.
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