S. Korea opens 1st military AI base to train robots for dangerous missions
South Korea’s Defense Ministry has opened the military’s first artificial intelligence transformation base to train humanoid and multi-legged robots for hazardous missions, aiming to improve operational efficiency and reduce risks to troops, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing Yonhap.
The Army’s first AI transformation (AX) base opened in Pangyo, south of Seoul, on Monday. Around 150 people attended the ceremony, including officials from the science and industry ministries, the Defense Ministry said.
The facility will collect physical AI data and use AI models to train robots for tasks such as transporting goods to hazardous areas, disposing of explosive ordnance and removing land mines.
The ministry aims to develop the facility into a leading defense hub for physical AI and accelerate military innovation by connecting private-sector AI technology with the armed forces’ operational needs.
Under the plan, each military branch and the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) will establish a total of five AX bases nationwide, including one at the JCS base in Seoul’s Yongsan Ward.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that North Korea had fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the East Sea, marking the latest in a series of missile launches by Pyongyang.