South Korea’s finance ministry has rolled out a specialized artificial intelligence (AI) training program for its officials, aligning with the government’s broader ambition to position the country as a global AI leader, Yonhap News Agency reported Tuesday.
The three-month initiative, developed in partnership with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), is designed to strengthen the digital skills of public officials. The program will run until December, offering practical training on large language models, machine learning, chatbots, and AI coding, with the goal of nurturing what the ministry calls “AI warriors” capable of driving the nation’s AI transformation.
According to Yonhap, the initiative is a key element of the Lee Jae-myung administration’s five-year economic strategy, which highlights the integration of AI technologies across government and industry to accelerate growth. The blueprint envisions a “super-innovation economy,” where digital tools play a central role in driving productivity and efficiency.
Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol stressed the importance of the program, noting that AI literacy is no longer optional for policymakers. “AI competency is now a basic qualification for public officials who will drive the realization of a super-innovation economy,” he said in remarks reported by Yonhap.
The ministry explained that the course is designed with a strong focus on practical application rather than theory. Participants will not only study advanced concepts such as machine learning and large language models but will also take part in projects that simulate real-world policymaking challenges.
By pairing classroom instruction with collaborative exercises, the program aims to ensure that officials can apply AI tools effectively in shaping and implementing government policies. The finance ministry added, as cited by Yonhap, that this approach will help create a cadre of AI-skilled civil servants ready to support the country’s digital transformation agenda.
