[Edaily Reporter Shin Yeong-bin ] The Special Researcher Program, which allows individuals to fulfill their military service obligations at research institutes of major corporations in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, is being reopened for the first time in 14 years.

According to the “2027 List of Recommended Companies (Research Institutions) for Military Service Designation” submitted to Hwang Jeong-ah, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea on the National Assembly’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee, on the 20th, the Ministry of Science and ICT recommended nine research institutes affiliated with major corporations to the Military Manpower Administration as designated entities for specialized research personnel.

The recommended companies are SamsungElectronics(005930), LGELECTRONICS(066570), Samsung Medison, and HD HYUNDAI Robotics. These research institutes have applied for a total of 81 positions. As the Military Manpower Administration’s final selection and personnel allocation procedures are still pending, it has not yet been confirmed whether all recommended personnel will actually be assigned.

The Special Research Personnel program is a system under which master’s and doctoral-level researchers in science and engineering fulfill their military service obligations by engaging in research work for three years at designated companies instead of performing active duty. The allocation of new personnel to large corporations has been suspended since 2013.

The government has once again permitted large corporations to utilize Special Research Personnel in order to prevent the outflow of key AI talent overseas and to strengthen the research and development capabilities of the domestic AI industry.

Last June, the Military Manpower Administration decided to allocate 120 of the 240 Special Research Personnel slots for the AI sector next year to the research institutes of large corporations. The Special Research Personnel program for large corporations in the AI sector will operate on a temporary basis for three years, from 2027 to 2029.

However, the number of candidates on the Ministry of Science and ICT’s recommendation list for the first year was 81—only 67.5% of the annual quota of 120 for large corporations. This is 39 fewer than the quota. It has also been confirmed that some large corporations applied for the designation of specialized research personnel but were eliminated at the recommendation stage because they did not meet the requirements.

For a large corporation to be recommended as a company eligible to designate Special Research Personnel in the AI field, it must meet all three requirements: an R&D investment ratio of at least 5% of revenue; operating in a field where it does not directly compete with small and medium-sized enterprises; and demonstrating objective R&D achievements.

Rep. Hwang stated, “With the reinstatement of specialized research personnel for large corporations for the first time in 14 years, young researchers now have another opportunity to fulfill their military service at institutions equipped with the nation’s top-tier research infrastructure.” He added, “However, since the requirements are too rigid and may limit the program’s effectiveness, we must take a bolder approach to opening up military service exemptions to secure talent and strategic technologies.”