South Korea Plans Free Government-Backed AI Chatbot to Reduce Foreign Dependence

South Korea will launch a free, domestically built AI chatbot this year to cut reliance on foreign platforms like ChatGPT.

Roughly half of South Korea's 51 million people were already using generative AI applications as of February — a usage rate that appears to be driving the government's push to build its own alternative. Seoul announced Tuesday that it plans to launch a free AI chatbot service built on domestic technology before the end of the year. The stated goal is to reduce South Korean dependence on foreign AI platforms, which currently dominate the market. The chatbot would be government-backed and available at no cost to users, positioning it as a public alternative to services like ChatGPT. South Korea has been investing heavily in AI infrastructure and domestic tech development. The country's high generative AI adoption rate — among the highest globally — gives the government both a ready user base and a political incentive to ensure that data and AI capability remain within domestic control.

Why it matters

A state-backed free chatbot could shift millions of users away from U.S. and Chinese AI platforms, with implications for data sovereignty and the competitive landscape of the global AI market. It also signals a broader trend of governments seeking homegrown AI alternatives.

What's next

The chatbot is expected to launch sometime in 2025, though no specific release date has been confirmed by Seoul.

Key facts

• South Korea's population is approximately 51 million
• Roughly half of South Koreans used generative AI applications in February
• The planned chatbot will be free of charge to users
• The service will be powered by domestically developed AI technology
• The launch is planned for sometime in 2025
• The government's explicit goal is reducing reliance on foreign AI platforms

Bias & framing notes

Both sources use nearly identical wording, suggesting they drew from the same wire report rather than independent reporting. The Asharq Al-Awsat version includes the generative AI usage statistic (roughly half of South Korea's population), which techxplore.com's version truncates. Neither source provides additional details such as which domestic companies are involved, the budget, or technical specifications, limiting the depth of the reporting.

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