South Korea Adds Motif Consortium as Fourth Contender in AI Foundation Model Race
Updated (3 articles)
Motif Consortium Joins State‑Funded AI Competition On 20 February 2026 the Ministry of Science and ICT announced that a team led by Motif Technologies Inc., in partnership with KAIST, will become the fourth participant in the government‑backed project to develop domestic AI foundation models [1]. The addition expands the competition from three to four contenders, each receiving dedicated GPU resources, data access, and technical assistance [1].
Earlier Shortlist Excluded Naver Cloud and NC AI In the previous month the ministry narrowed the field to three teams—SK Telecom, LG AI Research, and Upstage—after removing Naver Cloud Corp. and NC AI Co. from the program [1]. Those two firms were eligible but chose not to submit proposals, prompting the ministry to open an additional slot [1].
Selection Based on Independent Architecture and Competitive Performance Director General for AI policy Kim Kyung‑man explained that the Motif consortium was chosen for its experience designing AI models on an independent architecture and achieving results comparable to leading global models despite limited training data [1]. This technical merit differentiated Motif from other potential applicants [1].
Other Bids Limited to Trillion Labs; Naver Declined Participation The sole rival bid for the new opening came from a consortium headed by Trillion Labs, while Naver and NC AI, although eligible, opted not to apply [1]. The ministry therefore confirmed Motif as the only new entrant [1].
All Teams Receive GPU, Data, and Assistance; Two Winners to Be Chosen by Year‑End Each of the four teams will be provided with graphics processing units, extensive datasets, and ongoing support to develop their foundation models [1]. Science Minister Bae Kyung‑hoon stated that two final winners will be selected before the end of 2026 to continue receiving funding, aligning with South Korea’s goal to rank among the top three global AI powers [1].
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Timeline
Jan 15, 2026 – South Korea’s science ministry eliminates Naver Cloud Corp. and NC AI Co. from the first round of its AI foundation‑model competition, leaving SK Telecom, LG AI Research and Upstage as the three remaining consortia; LG AI Research’s K‑EXAONE model earns the highest marks for mathematics and long‑text understanding, and Second Vice Science Minister Ryu Je‑myung declares that “borrowing from open sources and using pre‑trained model weights amounts to piggybacking on others’ work,” stressing the need to train models from scratch[3].
Jan 23, 2026 – The ministry launches a process to add an additional contender to the AI foundation‑model bid, confirming the three shortlisted groups (SK Telecom, LG AI Research, Upstage) and announcing that two final winners will be chosen by year‑end to receive state funding and support, as part of Korea’s strategy to become one of the world’s top‑three AI powers[2].
Feb 20, 2026 – The Ministry of Science and ICT selects the Motif consortium—led by Motif Technologies Inc. with KAIST—as the fourth contender, praising its “independent architecture and competitive performance” that rivals global models despite limited data, according to Director General for AI Policy Kim Kyung‑man; all four teams receive GPUs, data access and assistance, and Science Minister Bae Kyung‑hoon confirms the state will pick two winners before the end of the year to continue funding the program[1].