최초입력 2025.08.19 10:43:01
SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won pledged Monday to develop a sovereign artificial intelligence (AI) system capable of prevailing in global competition, underscoring the importance of building independent AI infrastructure based on national data and resources as the U.S.-China tech rivalry escalates.
“There are various paths to sovereign AI, but the ‘global war’ is what ultimately matters,” Chey told reporters at the Icheon Forum 2025 that took palace at the Walkerhill Hotel in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, adding, “We must develop a sovereign AI that can win in the global market.” Sovereign AI is gaining traction as a key strategy for national security and AI sovereignty, aligning with the government’s vision of becoming a top-three global AI powerhouse.
SK Group has positioned AI as a core future growth engine and is accelerating company-wide digital transformation. This year’s Icheon Forum focuses on “AI and digital transformation (DT),” with a focus on expanding the AI ecosystem.
In his opening remarks, SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung connected the company’s growth story to innovation in the AI era. “There was a time when our employees endured unpaid leave and salary cuts,” he said. “After joining SK, that same company went on to develop the world’s first HBM, become the top player in the global DRAM market, and hit a market capitalization of 200 trillion won ($144 billion).”
Around 250 participants attended the forum, including Chairman Chey, SK Group Senior Vice Chairman Chey Jae-won, SK SUPEX Council Chairman Chey Chang-won, and other key executives, academics, and industry experts. Chey Tae-won’s eldest daughter Chey Yoon-chung, head of growth support at SK and head of business development at SK biopharmaceuticals, was also in attendance.
SK On CEO Lee Seok-hee reaffirmed his commitment to turning around the battery business, stating that SK On will return to profitability via a merger with SK enmove.
Now in its ninth year, the Icheon Forum is a SK Group flagship annual event that was launched at Chey Tae-won’s initiative.
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