[Edaily Reporter Kim Hyun-ah ] The Ministry of Science and ICT has appointed Kim Se-woong, former Vice President and AI Synergy Performance Leader at Kakao, as head of the National AI Service Innovation Task Force. He will lead the task force, which aims to integrate private-sector artificial intelligence (AI) development capabilities into public services, and will be responsible for developing AI services that the public can tangibly experience.

The Ministry announced on the 30th that the newly appointed Director Kim will begin his duties on November 2. His term runs until September 30, 2028.

Born in 1979, Director Kim graduated from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Seoul National University and completed a combined master’s and doctoral program in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the same university. He founded the tech startup MightyWorks in 2009 and managed it for about 10 years before joining Kakao(035720)in 2019.

He subsequently worked in Kakao’s AI Platform Division before serving as head of the Kakao Enterprise Division. Starting in June 2023, he served as team leader of the AI Task Force (TF) at Kakao’s Future Initiative Center; from October 2024, he served as Vice President of Financial Performance; and from November of last year through October of this year, he served as Vice President of AI Synergy Performance. He is a private-sector expert with experience ranging from AI technology development to service commercialization, infrastructure construction, and organizational management.

The National AI Service Innovation Task Force, newly established this year, is an organization that moves away from the traditional outsourcing-centered approach to public AI development, enabling private-sector developers and public-sector AI experts to develop services directly. Rather than the government commissioning projects for external companies to develop, the task force focuses on directly identifying and resolving public inconveniences and needs.

The Task Force is structured under the Director, comprising one division, one office, and four teams. The total staff consists of 61 members, including 26 private-sector developers, 16 AI Champions from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, 13 personnel from various government ministries, and 6 experts from related agencies. Private-sector developers account for approximately 43% of the total staff.

Director Kim stated, “AI innovation that citizens can truly feel begins not just with showcasing new technologies, but with actually resolving the inconveniences citizens face in their daily lives,” adding, “By combining the speed and innovation of the private sector with the accountability of the public sector, we will quickly introduce AI services that provide tangible benefits to the public.”

The Task Force plans to recruit additional private-sector professional developers starting in early November, in preparation for full-scale operations. Details regarding recruitment fields, the number of positions, and eligibility requirements can be found on the websites of the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Job Portal.

Kim Se-woong, Director of the National AI Service Innovation Task Force

, is: - Born in 1979
- 1997–2002: B.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University
- 2002–2005: Integrated Master’s and Ph.D. Program in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University (Ph.D. coursework completed)
Key Career Highlights
- November 2025 – October 2026: AI Synergy Performance Leader (Vice President), Kakao Corp.
- October 2024 – October 2025: Finance Performance Leader (Vice President), Kakao Corp.
- June 2023 – September 2024: Team Leader, AI Task Force, Future Initiatives Center, Kakao Corp.
- December 2019 – June 2023: Head of Division, Kakao Enterprise Co., Ltd.
- September 2019 – November 2019: Kakao Corp., AI Platform Department
-Feb. 2009 – Aug. 2019: MightyWorks Co., Ltd.