From satellites to smart farms: Korea's agriculture minister reimagines rural sustainability
South Korea's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is taking meaningful steps to modernize the country's agricultural sector and ensure its long-term sustainability. Led by its first female minister, Song Mi-ryung, the ministry has been focusing on three key transitions: digital innovation, generational change and the transformation of rural spaces.
'Food and livelihood are essential pillars of any society," Song said during an interview with The Korea Herald at the Agriculture Ministry's Seoul office on Thursday. "Because agriculture underpins both, I believe it is a sector we must prioritize and never neglect. I see agriculture becoming a competitive industry in the future — not just essential, but innovative. And I believe the countryside will be increasingly seen as a desirable and inspiring place.'
A year and five months into her term, the minister has made 297 field visits over 503 days, demonstrating a strong commitment to understanding and addressing the practical needs of farmers and rural communities.
A top priority for the ministry today is the digital transformation of agriculture, which goes hand in hand with generational change, according to Song.
New legislation took effect between July 2024 and January 2025, including the Smart Agriculture Act, Food Tech Act and Green Bio Act. These laws aim to support private sector participation and attract younger generations to farming. The ministry is also establishing green bio hubs and food tech research centers while easing regulations to allow for innovations such as vertical farms.
'Currently, only about 1 percent of the country's farm managers are young people. (This is) a deeply concerning figure. To attract young talent, farming must evolve beyond the image of toiling under the sun, hoping for good weather,' Song said.
The ministry aims to cultivate 30,000 young agricultural leaders by expanding support for new farmers and increasing financial incentives. The monthly startup grant for young farmers currently stands at approximately 1.1 million won ($787), with the number of recipients rising from 4,000 in 2023 to 5,000 as of last year. In addition to financial aid, the ministry is offering smart farm rentals and entrepreneurship programs to help young people establish successful careers in agriculture.
'At first glance, it may seem that young people simply lack interest in rural life. But in reality, many are drawn to the idea of a slower, more fulfilling lifestyle, much like the one portrayed in the film 'Little Forest.' We've seen many cases where young people in Seoul take the brave step of relocating to the countryside to launch unique, independent businesses. Most importantly, they report a high level of satisfaction with the lifestyle.'
Song cited France's 'third spaces' project and Japan's rural revitalization model as compelling examples. In Japan, she observed that young people form nonprofit groups move into rural areas, engage in farming and food processing, and sell their products at urban 'antenna shops.' These global models, Song emphasized, offer valuable benchmarks Korea can adapt to suit its unique context.
'In the future, people may work in the city for four days and spend the remaining three experiencing a different pace of life in the countryside. Rural areas will increasingly serve as spaces for lifestyle-oriented businesses. In this sense, the countryside becomes a 'third space,' not just urban or rural in the traditional sense, but a new kind of environment that holds growing value for modern life.'
By 2029, the government aims to convert 35 percent of the nation's 55,000 hectares of greenhouses into smart farms and introduce digital technologies to 20 percent of major field crop areas.
The ministry is also actively investing in research and development, including Korea's first dedicated agricultural satellite, which is currently in the final stages of assembly and scheduled for launch via SpaceX next year. The satellite will collect crop growth data across the Korean Peninsula every three days. This high-resolution, real-time data will be integrated with climate information to produce accurate production forecasts.
'The technology will transform agricultural policy and operations by enabling scientific, data-driven decisions,' Song said. 'I firmly believe this gathered data will not only enhance government policymaking but also create new business opportunities for private companies by enabling more accurate forecasts and strategic decisions in the global market.'
Song noted that while countries like the United States have already adopted similar technologies, Korea is positioning itself as a first mover. The satellite project represents a significant step forward in the digital transformation of Korean agriculture.
Meanwhile, Korea's agricultural exports have reached record highs, with K-food plus exports totaling $13 billion in 2023 and showing a 9.4 percent year-on-year increase as of April 2025. According to the ministry, K-food plus exports refers to agri-food products as well as products from industries with forward and backward links to agri-food. The ministry has worked to expand fresh produce exports, negotiate new quarantine agreements and promote Korean food products globally. Fresh produce exports reached $1.57 billion in 2024, accounting for 19 percent of total K-food exports.
Internationally, the ministry is strengthening partnerships through initiatives such as the "K-Ricebelt," which shares high-yield rice cultivation technology with 14 African countries. Last year, Korea produced 3,562 tons of rice seeds for the project, exceeding its target.
The ministry is also promoting traditional Korean flavors, with exports of Korean sauces such as gochujang reaching a record $394 million in 2024. Korea's jang-making culture has also been recognized by UNESCO.
Regarding the evolving policy landscape in the US under the second administration of US President Donald Trump, Song said the impact of baseline tariffs appears limited so far, based on current export data.
'In April alone, K-food exports recorded their highest monthly performance of the year, rising 12 percent year-on-year to $940 million. Exports to the US grew even more sharply, up 37 percent from the same period last year, reaching $170 million.'
She added that food is more than just a commodity — it is consumed as a form of culture. 'Thanks to strong brand loyalty among younger consumers globally, we do not anticipate major obstacles to expanding K-food exports.'
On the topic of global tariffs, the minister emphasized the need for proactive, real-time support. 'Providing timely and accurate information to agri-food exporters is essential, along with resolving on-the-ground challenges. To better address industry concerns, we've enhanced the US export support function of aT's (Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation) Export Information Desk and launched reciprocal tariff response seminars.'
Sustainability and animal welfare are also key pillars of the ministry's long-term agenda. Initiatives include expanding the use of livestock waste for renewable energy and strengthening systems to prevent livestock diseases. In a landmark policy shift, Korea enacted a ban on dog meat in February 2024. By early 2025, 40 percent of dog farms had shut down, and the ministry aims to close more than 60 percent — around 938 farms — by year's end.
'The movement to end dog meat consumption gained momentum around the 1988 Seoul Olympics. As the country developed, social consensus grew to ban the practice, reflecting increased awareness of animal welfare. We believe this will also encourage progress in animal rights in countries where dog meat consumption continues,' Song said. She added that the government is aiming for a complete ban by 2027, positioning Korea as a global leader in animal welfare.
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Korea Herald
an hour ago
- Korea Herald
Nowhere to turn but toward future: Seoul and Tokyo 80 years after liberation
Calls grow for fresh Korea-Japan declaration to tackle shared challenges absent from 1998 agreement Eighty years after the end of Japan's 35-year colonial rule, South Korea and Japan remain locked in an uneasy duet — pulled together by the inescapable demands of geopolitics, yet held apart by the deep, unhealed wounds left by Japan's occupation of the Korean Peninsula. As Korea marks its 80th National Liberation Day on Friday, the question has never felt more urgent. Can Seoul and Tokyo — tethered by geography and facing many shared challenges — forge a genuinely future-oriented partnership despite historical disputes so deeply ingrained that they have outlived generations? The stakes are raised by the rapidly shifting global order under US President Donald Trump's 'America First' foreign policy. Washington is recalibrating its alliances with both South Korea and Japan, pivoting toward the China threat in the Indo-Pacific region. As the region's strategic map is redrawn, Seoul and Tokyo are left with fewer and fewer exits from each other's orbit. 'Future-oriented relations are not about people-to-people exchanges or building mutual trust. Rather, they require a fundamental discussion of how Korea and Japan must inevitably cooperate to survive in a profoundly transformed global environment,' Yang Kee-ho, professor of Japanese studies at Sungkonghoe University, told The Korea Herald. 'This is the moment when Korea and Japan must envision a new phase of cooperation.' The list of pressures is long: the intensifying US-China strategic competition, Trump's go-it-alone diplomacy, and for Seoul, the challenge of navigating Washington's push to 'modernize' the alliance and grant greater strategic flexibility to US Forces Korea. Add to that North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile programs, and Beijing's ambitions — from dominating global high-tech manufacturing through its 'Made in China 2025' initiative to becoming a 'fully developed, rich, and powerful' nation by 2049. 'Such developments carry a considerable risk of disrupting the status quo in Northeast Asia, which is why it is necessary to build sufficient, shared deterrence through joint discussions,' said Yang, highlighting the need for coordination between Seoul and Tokyo. South Korea and Japan have cogent reasons to work in tandem for better outcomes for both countries in the face of parallel challenges, including 'mounting Trump-origin risks' such as tariff negotiations with the US, said Choi Eun-mi, a research fellow at the Center for Regional Studies at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies. 'The merits of Korea-Japan cooperation, in my view, are very significant in that regard,' Choi said. 'At present, cooperation between Korea and Japan has become nothing short of indispensable, both domestically and internationally.' Symbolically, President Lee Jae Myung is set to visit Tokyo from Aug. 23 to 24 for a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba before heading to Washington for his first in-person meeting with Trump. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun also opted for Tokyo for his first overseas trip before flying to Washington. Korea-Japan cooperation is also imperative, given the breadth of shared future-oriented challenges. 'Between Korea and Japan, there are numerous common challenges,' Lim Eun-jung, professor in the Division of International Studies at Kongju National University, told The Korea Herald. 'Population decline, a super-aged society, labor shortages, regional extinction, industrial transformation, cybersecurity, the utilization of AI and the proliferation of humanoid robots, and energy security are all areas that show the structural similarities of the two countries.' Closer, yet still divided Even as pressing shared challenges bring Seoul and Tokyo closer, major obstacles, including potential discrepancies in their foreign policy approaches to China and North Korea, still stand. 'In dealing with North Korea, South Korea favors dialogue, while Japan has traditionally prioritized sanctions over engagement,' said Lee Ki-tae, director of the Center for Diplomatic Strategy at the Sejong Institute, discussing the Lee Jae Myung administration's inter-Korean policy. 'That said, the Ishiba administration appears to place somewhat greater weight on dialogue, aligning its stance more closely with ours and reducing the potential for friction.' Lee, however, noted, 'On China policy, Japan remains firmly in step with the US, whereas South Korea prefers not to be drawn into (the US-China competition) — a subtle divergence in perception.' Historical disputes, which are ingrained in the 1965 Treaty on Basic Relations that formally normalized diplomatic relations between South Korea and Japan, remain intact as a major obstacle. Despite the general positive assessment of the Lee administration's Japan policy in its early stages, experts point out that the current tendency of both the Lee and Ishiba administrations to leave historical disputes off the agenda also poses a significant hurdle. 'The overall start has been good. Given how difficult things are right now for both Korea and Japan, avoiding conflict is important, so the direction itself has been well set,' Yang said. 'However, the current situation is a disguised peace or a postponed conflict.' Yang pointed out that the Lee administration's 'pragmatic diplomacy' cannot replace a guiding principle for historical disputes, urging Seoul to go beyond pragmatism by establishing clear rules for dealing with and managing these issues with Japan. Without such principles in place, Yang warned, Seoul and Tokyo risk letting conflicts accumulate. In that scenario, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea could be tempted to bash Japan to boost support for the party or President Lee, repeating a familiar vicious cycle. History still under the surface Echoing those concerns, Choi underscored that Seoul and Tokyo 'need to discuss how they will live with and manage historical issues, given that they are difficult to resolve, impossible to simply erase, and, in truth, extremely hard to settle completely.' 'Yet that discussion is entirely absent, which is regrettable. It's not that we've solved this issue and therefore no longer talk about it — it clearly remains beneath the surface, but it's just not showing right now,' Choi explained. 'Japan doesn't want to bring it up, and Korea isn't talking about it either, which means the issue could resurface at any time. I'm not sure if I should call it a 'risk,' but I would describe it as one factor that makes cooperation more difficult.' Lee Ki-tae pointed out that sustainable ties require political will. 'It is most important for the leadership in both countries to demonstrate the will not to exploit negative public sentiment toward each other for domestic political purposes,' he said. Lee also underlined the significance of Seoul and Tokyo in forging public discourse on the indispensability of bilateral cooperation. 'Beyond that, the leadership must recognize that Korea-Japan cooperation is, in a sense, essential for the survival of both countries, and they should communicate this effectively to their citizens,' Lee added. 'It is also important to explain clearly to the public that cooperation between Korea and Japan contributes to addressing issues on the Korean Peninsula, as well as to peace and stability in the broader Northeast Asian region.' In particular, Seoul and Tokyo should avoid repeating the past mistake of allowing historical disputes to spill over and hamper economic and security cooperation, as happened during the overlapping period of the Moon Jae-in administration and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's second term. 'I'd like to single out the Moon-Abe period as an important turning point because, no matter how much Korea-Japan relations were tied up in historical issues, there had always been certain lines neither side would cross,' Lim said, when asked about the most important turning point in bilateral relations over the 80 years since liberation and its significance. 'During the Moon and Abe administrations, however, those lines collapsed, sending the relationship into a downward spiral.' Tensions peaked in 2019 when South Korea's Supreme Court ordered Japanese companies to compensate the Korean victims of wartime forced labor. In response, the Abe administration restricted exports of three key semiconductor materials in July and removed South Korea from its list of preferred trading partners the following month. These actions led to a nationwide boycott in South Korea of Japanese goods and travel to Japan. That November, the Moon administration conditionally delayed its decision to end the GSOMIA military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan, effectively suspending its operation, while a radar lock-on dispute the following month further strained defense cooperation and exchanges between the two countries. This period also saw growing economic security concerns, driven by the first Trump administration's 'America First' policies and supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic. 'Yet, paradoxically, this period also made us realize anew that Korea and Japan are bound together — economically, socially and culturally — in ways that are profoundly close,' Lim said. 'Never again should historical issues be allowed to damage cooperation not only in the economic sphere, but also in the realm of security.' Time for a new joint declaration For many in Seoul, the benchmark for a diplomatic reset remains the 1998 Kim Dae-jung-Obuchi Declaration, formally titled the Korea-Japan Joint Declaration: A New Partnership Toward the Twenty-first Century. In the declaration, Seoul and Tokyo set out a roadmap for future-oriented cooperation, including principles for collaboration across sectors such as security, the economy, policy, people-to-people and cultural exchanges and global issues. It also included Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi's expression of 'deep remorse and heartfelt apology' for Korea's colonization. The time has come to forge a new joint declaration. 'The international situation in 1998, when it was created, is completely different from what it is now, so we need a vision for Korea-Japan cooperation that reflects the current circumstances,' she said. 'Among the action plans for 43 items included (in the declaration), there are some that were relevant then and still are today, but there are also topics that are no longer timely. So, we need an updated version that addresses how to deal with those aspects.' Choi cites the 'Trump risk' as a clear example. 'It's not just because of the Trump administration, but because the international environment has become very unstable,' Choi said. 'For instance, if US involvement is reduced, how will regional security be maintained? We need to discuss how Korea and Japan can cooperate in that context.' Choi noted that a forward-looking approach should extend beyond economic and historical matters that were absent or only lightly addressed in the 1998 declaration. For instance, the 1998 declaration did not mention supply chains, AI or 5G, which are now central to both bilateral and global agendas. The joint declaration also left out specific historical topics, like the memorial service at the Sado gold mine, where Koreans were subjected to forced labor during World War II. Choi underscored that these issues should be included in a new framework, along with plans for handling future challenges. Lee concurred on the need to forge a new joint declaration in light of the shift in the balance between Seoul and Tokyo since then. 'At that time, in 1998, we were still — I wouldn't say far behind Japan, but in a somewhat lower position — and that perspective was reflected in much of the content,' Lee said. 'If that declaration was made in the context of Japan helping Korea, today the two countries are truly on an equal footing. In this context, we need a new version of the Korea-Japan Partnership Declaration that considers how the two countries, as equals, should cooperate.' Seizing the Ishiba opportunity Nam Ki-jeong, professor at the Institute for Japanese Studies at Seoul National University, views the current Ishiba administration in Tokyo as part of a rare alignment of circumstances that could offer the Lee administration a valuable opening. 'The Ishiba Cabinet has the potential to last a bit longer,' he said. 'While it's possible that it could end in a very short period, if we carefully devise and execute a strategy in coordination with the Ishiba Cabinet and those around it, we can advance Korea-Japan relations during the time that the Cabinet is in place.' Even if the political situation changes, Nam argues, the groundwork laid now could bring long-term benefits. If the ruling Liberal Democratic Party were to shift further to the right after the Ishiba Cabinet, for example, under figures like former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, the existing groundwork could help keep a more hardline government in check. On the other hand, if the LDP were to hold longer to the relatively liberal approach established by Ishiba, Seoul and Tokyo could have a better chance of improving their relationship beyond its current state. 'Right now, Korea-Japan relations enjoy an exceptionally favorable combination of administrations. When such a combination emerges, we must think on our side about how to make the most of the opportunity,' Nam said. 'Producing tangible results while Ishiba is in office is crucial at this moment.'
Korea Herald
2 hours ago
- Korea Herald
From ashes of war to arsenal of world: South Korea's defense industry boom
As top 10 arms exporter, Seoul's modern weapons soar globally, but guarding tech, talent remains challenge It was 72 years ago that the bloody 1950–53 Korean War ended with an armistice. Today, the once-war-ravaged nation stands among the world's leading arms exporters, its factories turning out advanced tanks, artillery systems and fighter jets destined for battlefields far beyond the Korean Peninsula. South Korea's arms industry is riding a wave of global demand, but the current geopolitical climate brings both opportunity and risk. Its weapons are in high demand for their advanced technology and fast delivery, yet the country must tread carefully, as shifting alliances and regional tensions complicate the path forward. Turning crisis into opportunity South Korea, in recent years, has often been listed among the world's top 10 arms exporters, in the ranks with the United States, Russia and China. It was No. 10 among global arms exporters, with a 2.2 percent share of the market in the 2020-2024 period, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The South Korean government is now setting its sights on breaking into the ranks of the world's top four arms exporters. 'South Korea has rapidly matured into one of the world's leading arms exporters, backed by a highly capable manufacturing base, proven platforms and a track record of delivering on time and at scale,' Yu Ji-hoon, a research fellow at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, told The Korea Herald. Yet it took decades of sustained effort to get this far. In 1971, the United States began withdrawing troops from South Korea, reducing the number of American soldiers stationed there, even as tensions with North Korea persisted in the decades after the Korean War. The withdrawal was carried out under the Richard Nixon administration, which pushed for allied nations to strengthen their own self-defense capabilities. This prompted South Korea to concentrate its efforts on developing and producing advanced weaponry to achieve self-reliance in defense. In 1973, the government launched a full-scale initiative to promote the heavy and chemical industries, a critical component in manufacturing weapons, according to the Korea Development Institute. The Russian arms repayment project, a unique post-Cold War arms-for-debt arrangement between Seoul and Moscow, which started in the late 1980s, was another driving force behind the South's defense industry. Instead of cash repayments, Russia repaid part of the debt with military equipment and related technology. Until the mid-2010s, South Korea's arms exports were largely concentrated in ammunition, naval vessels and some aerospace components. But its export portfolio has since started to diversify and expand. Provider of world-class weapons In South Korea's expanding arms export portfolio, the K2 tank, dubbed "Black Panther' and built by Hyundai Rotem, has been a flagship item. It first entered service with the military here in 2014. The K2 is South Korea's most advanced main battle tank, designed for speed, precision and adaptability on the mountainous Korean Peninsula. In recent years, it has drawn major international orders, most notably from Poland, as militaries seek modern armor to replace aging Cold War units. It is central to South Korea's largest-ever defense export deals, including the one with Poland, signed in 2022,in which Warsaw ordered 180 K2 Black Panther tanks from Hyundai Rotem in a $3.37 billion agreement. Deliveries began within months, far faster than European or American suppliers could offer. In 2025, Warsaw followed with a $6.5 billion contract for 180 upgraded K2PL tanks, to be produced in part in Poland. The two phases, part of a broader plan involving the manufacturing of up to 1,000 K2s, have made Seoul one of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's most important new arms partners and cemented South Korea's status as a major player in the global defense market. Other key weapons in the portfolio are the K239 Chunmoo Multiple Rocket Launcher System, K9 self-propelled howitzer, FA-50 fighter jets and Surion helicopters. Prominent deals made with global clients include K239 Chunmoo MLRS systems purchased by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in 2017 and 2022, respectively. South Korea on Thursday signed a $250 million agreement to supply Vietnam with 20 K9 self-propelled howitzers, marking the weapon's first deployment to a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc. The K9 is already in service in countries such as Turkey and Egypt. Experts say South Korea's growing appeal lies in its weapons' balance of cost and capability — and in its ability to offer buyers comprehensive, tailor-made packages. 'South Korean-manufactured weapons, including the K9 self-propelled howitzer, offer proven performance, interoperability with Western systems and cost-effectiveness,' explained Yu, who is also a former professor of military strategy at the South Korea's Naval Academy. 'More importantly, Seoul has demonstrated willingness to localize production, transfer technology and support customers' domestic capability development.' South Korean arms-makers are increasingly structuring export deals to include technology transfers and licensed local production, allowing buyer nations to build part — or in some cases most — of the weapons on their soil. This approach not only sweetens contracts in competitive bidding, but it also aligns with many countries' desire to develop their domestic defense industries. This is reflected in Hyundai Rotem's Poland deal, as well as Hanwha Aerospace will establish joint production lines for the K9 howitzer and Chunmoo rocket system, with Romania and Poland, respectively. 'It's a key all-in-one package deal strategy played out by South Korean arms manufacturers — providing technology transfer, customized weapons and factories for the buyers,' Choi Gi-il, a professor of military studies at Sangji University, said via phone. Rosy future, lingering risks South Korea's arms exports fell to $9.5 billion last year after hitting a record high of $17.3 billion in 2022 and sliding to $13.5 billion in 2023, according to its arms procurement agency, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. DAPA is cautiously eyeing a $23 billion goal for this year. The agency's ambitions may get a lift this year from favorable geopolitical winds, according to an expert. NATO allies have recently agreed to more than double their defense spending target from 2 percent of gross domestic product to 5 percent by 2035, creating a surge of demand for new equipment. Adding to the momentum, Seoul's latest cooperation with Washington in the shipbuilding sector, under a joint initiative known as 'Make American Shipbuilding Great Again,' is expected to further bolster South Korea's defense export prospects. Seoul has put forward sweeping proposals for joint shipbuilding projects with the US, a move that was reportedly pivotal in securing a tariff agreement with the administration of US President Donald Trump earlier this month. 'Overall, South Korea's defense industry is likely to get a lift this year from NATO's increase in defense spending target and Seoul's role in building American ships, as well as cooperation on maintenance, repair and overhaul projects for the sector,' Choi of Sangji University said. Choi added that South Korea's existing top clients are likely to continue to make steady purchases. 'Looking at global arms exports by region, the most prominent markets include Eastern European countries facing wartime conditions and Middle Eastern nations, where unstable security situations are driving demand,' he noted. However, the new momentum carries its own risks. 'The global trend right now resembles Trump's reshoring policy, aimed at bringing manufacturing and supply chains — particularly in strategic industries — back to the US,' said Choi. 'For South Korea, that could mean a new battle to protect its hard-won edge, guarding against the loss of technology and skilled personnel as it undertakes certain projects.' mkjung@
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Korea Herald
2 hours ago
- Korea Herald
[Inside K-AI] How benchmarks shape AI battlefield -- and where Korea's models stand
Standardized tests offer reality check, separating marketing buzz from genuine AI performance The race for sovereign AI is intensifying, with countries rushing to build their own large language models to secure technological independence. Korea is no exception -- the government has tapped five leading companies to spearhead the creation of homegrown models tailored to national priorities. In this high-stakes contest, The Korea Herald launches a special series exploring Korea's AI industry and its standing in the global arena, and the rise of Korean-language-focused systems. This first installment looks at benchmarks -- the scorecards of the AI world -- and how Korean models measure up on the tests that are shaping the race. – Ed. AI has swept across the tech industry, powering chatbots, search engines and productivity tools. OpenAI's ChatGPT -- which first ignited the global buzz in November 2022 -- and other big tech models sit firmly in the top tier, but the surge of large language models shows no sign of slowing. Each new arrival is touted as the smartest or the first of its kind, outscoring the rest. That raises a key question: how are these models really evaluated, and which is the true leader? The answer lies in benchmarks -- the standardized tests that have become the AI world's scoreboard, where companies race to climb the rankings and prove their worth. In July, South Korea's Upstage pulled off an unexpected breakthrough when its 31-billion-parameter Solar Pro 2 became the only Korean model listed as a "frontier model" by UK-based benchmarking platform Artificial Analysis. It ranked just outside the global top 10 for intelligence and placed first in Intelligence vs. Cost to Run, a measure of how much capability a model delivers for its operating cost. The result prompted swift reaction from Elon Musk, whose AI company xAI is also a relative newcomer battling entrenched leaders. In a post on X, he insisted his Grok 4 model "remains No. 1" and is "rapidly improving" -- a pointed defense that reflects how sensitive and strategic leaderboard positions have become in the global AI race. Launching its latest GPT-5 model last week, OpenAI also promoted the model as "much smarter" than earlier ones and cited scores in several key benchmarks measuring performance in areas such as math, coding and visual perception. "For engineers, benchmarks serve as a barometer for how the LLM they developed fares in the global competition, and as a compass for its future development," an official of an LLM startup said. Constant race to set new records Much like human IQ tests or university entrance exams, the benchmarks offer a structured way to measure various capabilities, from language comprehension and reasoning to code generation, under the same conditions. When an LLM tops a benchmark, it is deemed State-of-the-Art (SOTA) for that task -- a title that can quickly change as new models are released. MMLU, which is one of the most widely used benchmarks, poses more than 15,000 multiple-choice questions across 57 subjects. HumanEval and LiveCodeBench test coding ability, while AIME and MATH-500 gauge mathematical reasoning. For instance, OpenAI boasted that its new GPT-5 achieved SOTA in math, scoring 94.6 percent on AIME 2025 without tools; in real-world coding, scoring 74.9 percent on SWE-bench Verified; and in multimodal understanding, achieving 84.2 percent on MMMU, among others. Korean LLM firms are also working fiercely to set new records. Releasing its most up-to-date model Exaone 4.0 on July 15, LG AI Research promoted its strong performance in advanced benchmarks. In MMLU-Pro, the 32-billion-parameter model scored 81.8 percent, ahead of Microsoft's Phi 4 reasoning-plus with 76 percent and Mistral's Magistral Small-2506 at 73.4 percent. In AIME 2025, it also outperformed those rivals with a score of 85.3 percent. As LLMs advance rapidly, the benchmarks themselves are also evolving. MMLU now offers a Pro edition with more complex reasoning questions. In January, a coalition of 1,000 experts launched Humanity's Last Exam -- a 2,500-question test spanning classical literature to quantum chemistry. But what often confuses the public is the endless list of scores. Experts note that because LLMs can do so many different things, each has its own strengths -- making it difficult to declare one model "the best" based on a single benchmark. To make sense of the growing number of benchmark results, platforms like Hugging Face provide leaderboards that compile scores from multiple tests and rank models accordingly. The Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index is another prominent one that aggregates results from eight advanced benchmarks -- including the MMLU-Pro, Humanity's Last Exam and AIME -- to produce an overall score. With strong scores across multiple benchmarks, LG's Exaone and Upstage's Solar Pro 2 were the only Korean LLMs to make the Artificial Analysis index in July. At the time of release, Exaone 4.0 ranked 11th globally in the Intelligence Index, standing shoulder to shoulder with big brands such as Google's Gemini, OpenAI's ChatGPT and Alibaba's Qwen. Upstage's Solar Pro 2 went a step further, becoming the only Korean model recognized in the leaderboard's Frontier Language Model Intelligence category -- reserved for the highest-performing systems at the cutting edge of research and development. It also topped the Intelligence vs. Cost to Run metric. 'It is fair to say Korean models are quite competitive, considering their rivals are often several times larger," an LG official said, explaining how models like Grok 4, which held the top spot in the July index, has a staggering 1.7 trillion parameters -- meaning it used far more resources in training to achieve the intelligence score. The list has since updated its benchmarks with more challenging tests and added newly released models such as GPT-5 -- which overtook Grok 4 for the top spot -- nudging the Korean models down slightly, though both remain in the global index. LG AI Research and Upstage have both been named among the government's five consortia tasked with leading the development of South Korea's proprietary AI foundation models, alongside Naver Cloud, SK Telecom and NC AI. Naver, which became the third company in the world to develop a hyperscale AI model with HyperClova in 2021, has since upgraded its foundation model and in June released HyperClova X Think. The company cites its model's strength in its deep understanding of the Korean language. Going beyond benchmarks The way benchmarks gain recognition is similar to how a new measurement scale in the social sciences becomes a standard. After being published in a peer-reviewed paper, it should be validated at a reputable academic conference and adopted by the global AI community, an industry official explained. As crowded as the AI field is becoming, with one LLM after another touting new benchmark scores, the results still serve an important purpose: they offer guidelines for engineers in measuring their progress. "Global big techs still lead, but players in countries like China, France and Korea are closing in, and the race is intense," an LG official said. "The presence of Korean companies on leaderboards and key benchmarks shows the country is not only catching up but is firmly in the game." At the same time, the rollout of GPT-5 shows that real-world user experiences are just as important as strong performances in advanced benchmark tests. Launched on August 7, the highly anticipated OpenAI model shot to the top in the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, but has faced backlash from users who claim it feels "downgraded," citing a blander personality and surprisingly basic mistakes. Lee Kyoung-jun, a big data analytics professor at Kyung Hee University, stressed that the true measure of an LLM's competitiveness lies in its practical utility. "Korean LLMs are making strides in benchmarks, but it's important to note that even major models like Exaone are having little impact on the general public for now," Lee said. "Efforts must continue to ensure these excellent models are adopted in real use cases and achieve widespread adoption." herim@
