SK Telecom Signs Agreement with Defense Ministry to Develop Military AI Model
SK Telecom signed an agreement with South Korea's Ministry of Defense to create a defense-specialized AI model based on its A.X K1 foundation model. The project, selected for state GPU support, will begin with a lightweight version in the second quarter of 2026. It forms part of a national initiative to build sovereign AI capabilities.
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewSK Telecom Co. signed a partnership with the Ministry of Defense on May 14, 2026 in Seoul to develop and verify a defense-specialized AI model based on the company's AI foundation model. The collaboration includes joint work to collect and utilize open defense-related data, Yonhap reported.
It forms part of a state-led initiative to foster homegrown AI technologies. The defense ministry's project to develop a military AI model was selected for a state-run program that provides graphics processing unit support for high-performance AI model development, according to Yonhap. X K1.
The ministry plans to begin developing a lightweight version of the AI model in collaboration with SK Telecom in the second quarter. That lightweight model will first undergo pilot testing in the defense sector. It will then be further refined into a defense-specific AI model through additional training using defense-related data, Yonhap reported.
The partnership is also part of the science ministry's broader initiative to develop homegrown, or sovereign, AI models. The science ministry's initiative aims to accelerate South Korea's AI transformation and strengthen the country's position in the global AI race, Yonhap reported.
SK Telecom said Thursday it has partnered with the defense ministry to develop an artificial intelligence model tailored for military use.
Under the partnership signed between SK Telecom and the Ministry of Defense, the two sides will work together on the specialized model while cooperating on defense data collection. The project reflects a concerted national push to reduce reliance on foreign AI systems in sensitive sectors.
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