The Military Manpower Administration has decided to allocate dedicated research personnel for alternative military service specifically within the AI sector. The ICT industry, including gaming, has welcomed this move as it finally extends to major conglomerates.

On June 10, the Military Manpower Administration unveiled its '2027 Military Service Designated Company Selection and Personnel Allocation Standards.' The real headline here is the temporary expansion of the research personnel programme beyond SMEs to include major corporate entities, strictly for AI-focused roles. Between 2027 and 2029, a quota of 240 master's degree research personnel will be allocated: 120 for research institutes affiliated with major conglomerates and 120 for government-funded or defence industry research facilities.

The selection process for these designated companies is already in motion. Applications for company status and personnel quotas must be submitted by June 30, with final results expected in November and December. While the official list of companies is pending, major gaming giants like Krafton, Nexon, NCSoft, and Netmarble are already deep into various AI projects. This expansion of military exemptions is, frankly, a massive win for their R&D ambitions.

On the 12th, the Digital Economy Coalition—representing seven ICT associations, including the Korea Association of Game Industry—issued a warm welcome to these reforms. They noted, "By including firms with global AI R&D capabilities and lowering the barriers that previously restricted this to SMEs, the government has opened the door for major corporate research institutes to participate in the AI sector." They interpreted this as "a robust policy commitment to securing core AI research talent at a national level."

The coalition further commented, "Previously, brilliant domestic AI researchers faced career interruptions or were lured abroad due to mandatory military service. This improvement creates an environment where young talent can focus on R&D without disruption, which should elevate our global technological competitiveness. We highly value the fact that companies, regardless of their size, now have broader opportunities to utilise these specialised research personnel for AI development."