South Korea accelerates industrial AI integration across key sectors

South Korea is undergoing a broad industrial shift toward Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration across various sectors. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy has launched a private expert research group to discuss how AI will reshape corporate growth, talent cultivation, and labor systems, including potential reforms to working hours and compensation.

In the energy and maritime sectors, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) is expanding its AI and wireless communication networks to enhance nuclear plant safety and efficiency. Similarly, the Korea Institute of Maritime and Fisheries Training has established an AI Innovation Task Force to implement ‘AI native’ operations and improve public services.

Regional industrial hubs are also investing heavily. Ulsan is spearheading an AI transformation in the automotive, shipbuilding, and petrochemical industries, with planned investments totaling hundreds of billions of won for smart factories and data centers. In Gyeongnam, a competition has been launched to develop ‘AI Agents’ capable of autonomous task execution.

Major corporations are deploying specific AI technologies to optimize operations. LG Electronics has released a high-capacity air-cooled turbo chiller designed to reduce power consumption by 30% in AI data centers. Meanwhile, LG Innotek has implemented an AI system that uses a database of 2 million components to automate part selection and pricing, reducing quotation preparation time by over 70 percent.