At the inaugural Korea AI Innovation Grand Prize ceremony held at the National Assembly Museum on November 10, Cho Sung-kap, Ph.D., President of the Korea Internet Ethics Association, received the top honor in the individual category. The award, hosted by the Korea AI Innovation Awards Committee, recognized outstanding individuals and organizations advancing AI innovation and human-centered applications under the theme “Realizing the K-AI Initiative through Humanism and Innovation.”
Despite being the first event of its kind, the competition drew participation from 195 organizations, corporations, and individuals. After a rigorous selection process, 48 honorees were chosen, including recipients of the Grand Prix and individual excellence awards. Distinguished guests such as Oh Myung (former Deputy Prime Minister for Science and Technology), Jin Dae-je (former Minister of Information and Communication), Im Moon-young (Vice Chairman of the National AI Strategy Committee), and Kang Byung-joon (Chairman of The Electronic Times) attended to celebrate the achievements.
A Pioneer in AI Ethics and Education
Since founding the Korea Internet Ethics Association in 2004, Cho has been a leading voice in addressing the ethical and social responsibilities of technology in the AI era. He was among the first in Korea to highlight issues such as AI “hallucination,” spearheading nationwide education programs on the internet and AI ethics across more than 100 universities.
Before that, Cho worked at IBM, where he researched foundational technologies such as data mining and data warehousing. Later, as a professor of AI at Dankook University’s Graduate School of Knowledge Information, he helped build the academic framework for Korea’s AI education. At Sehan University, he established the Department of Artificial Intelligence and authored key textbooks, including Computer Algorithm & Brain Up (2018) and Artificial Intelligence Technology and the Future (2000), providing systematic resources for the next generation of scholars and engineers.
A Strong AI Nation Begins with Sovereign Software and Talent
For decades, Cho has posed a simple but profound question: “Why does a nation that once created world-changing innovations—Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s Turtle Ship, Choi Mu-sun’s gunpowder, King Sejong’s Hangul, and Jang Yeong-sil’s rain gauge—still rely 100% on foreign software?”
As president of the Korea Federation of Information Technology Societies (KFITS), representing 22 academic organizations, Cho led a national initiative to introduce software education in primary and secondary schools. His proposal was adopted as government policy in 2014, piloted in select schools, and became a nationwide core curriculum in 2016. “In the AI era, national sovereignty begins with education,” he said. “We must nurture creativity, craftsmanship, and digital sensibility in our youth.”
Foresight into Future Technologies
Cho views AI not merely as a technological shift but as a civilizational transformation. During his time at IBM Watson Research Center, he foresaw the democratization of AI applications. In 2016, as a visiting professor at Korea University, he published an early research report anticipating the rise of blockchain, Bitcoin, and digital currencies—well before they became global phenomena.
He has also asserted that the complex crises facing humanity—environmental degradation, disease, and cyber threats—can be addressed through the computational power of quantum computers, which he predicts will drive the Fifth Industrial Revolution. His vision reflects a holistic understanding of technology’s evolution as intertwined with human and societal change.
Korea’s Path in the Global AI Landscape
Comparing Korea’s policies to the U.S. AI Action Plan and China’s national AI curriculum, Cho noted that “Korea actually took an early lead by introducing software education in 2014.” Yet, he warned that “no matter how advanced our digital transformation and platform strategies become, dependence on foreign AI and software technologies must be overcome.”
He emphasized that “sovereign software is not just a technical issue—it is a matter of national sovereignty.” Like the success stories of TDX and CDMA, Cho urged Korea to embark on long-term, state-led projects for AI and software development.
“Sovereign AI: The Future Path Forward
“To realize AI Korea,” Cho argued, “we must move beyond technology imports and develop Sovereign AI—artificial intelligence built upon our own language, ethics, and industrial context.” True sovereignty in AI, he said, “can only emerge from the convergence of education, technology, and philosophy.”
By anchoring technological progress in human-centered values, Cho redefines AI as “a civilizational tool that must elevate human dignity beyond industrial utility.”
Beyond Technological Progress—Toward a Human Future
The Korea AI Innovation Awards Committee commended Cho’s leadership, stating, “He has provided a clear direction for Korea’s AI innovation by integrating education, ethics, technology, and policy. His foresight and practical leadership will help Korea evolve from a ‘nation of technology’ into a ‘civilization of AI humanity.’”
For Cho, the award is not a personal accolade but a call to action: a reminder that Korea must rise as a sovereign digital nation built upon ethics, education, and indigenous software—where technological progress ultimately serves the future of humanity.
Korean version available here.
