Korea to provide free AI agents for all citizens through messenger, texts

Korea will launch free agentic AI services for all citizens by the end of the year, with beta testing starting next month. The Ministry of Science and ICT said the AI for All project will let users make reservations, payments and other requests through messengers, phone calls and text messages. Kakao, KT and SK Telecom are leading the three operator consortiums. The government said the goal is to make homegrown AI easy to use in daily life.

The three operators are consortiums led by SK Telecom, KT and Kakao.

The programs will enter beta testing next month before an official launch later this year.

Kakao aims to reach 5 million monthly active users by December and 10 million by the end of 2027.

KT unveiled Ieum, a service that combines a general-purpose AI agent with services in public affairs, education, finance and shopping.

The SK Telecom consortium will provide phone- and text-based agents for users who have difficulty using mobile apps or web services.

Published Sep 4, 2026 4:23 pm KST

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon speaks during a press briefing on the "AI for All" project at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Ministry of Science and ICT

Korea will launch free agentic artificial intelligence (AI) services for all citizens by the end of the year, allowing users to have AI agents that carry out real-world tasks such as reservations and payments through mobile messengers, phone calls and text messages.

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the operators of the “AI for All” project held a press briefing on Friday and outlined their service plans. The programs will enter beta testing next month before their official launch later this year. The three operators are consortiums each led by telecom operators SK Telecom and KT, along with mobile messenger firm Kakao.

“Our ultimate goal is to have new homegrown AI services blend naturally into people’s daily lives,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon said. “What matters most is how easily people can access the services, how often they use the services and how much the services actually help in everyday life.”

A consortium led by Kakao will team up with LG Group, using KakaoTalk messenger as the entry point for its AI service. Based on AI models such as Kakao’s Kanana and LG’s EXAONE, the consortium will offer agent services that can handle tasks ranging from information searches to reservations, payments and other tasks within a single conversation.

Kakao said the service will not require installing a separate app or learning a new interface. The company is targeting 5 million monthly active users by December and plans to expand its user base to 10 million by the end of 2027.

The KT consortium unveiled Ieum, an integrated service that combines a general-purpose AI agent powered by real-time search and services in areas including public services, education, finance and shopping.

KT said it will operate various homegrown AI models and infrastructure assets, including graphics processing units and neural processing units, through its token factory. Through this, the company said it will expand the service into a marketplace and growth platform for Korea’s AI ecosystem.

The SK Telecom consortium said it will introduce phone- and text-based agents so that people who have difficulty using mobile apps or web services can access the services more easily. Its AI services will handle various processes including authentication, public service applications and payments on behalf of users, rather than simply answering questions.

“The government will spare no effort to help AI for all become Korea’s flagship AI service,” Bae said. “I ask all participants to work together toward the launch later this year so that the service can bring greater convenience to people’s daily lives while opening up a new domestic AI market for businesses.”

韩国将于今年年底前面向所有公民推出免费的人工智能服务，并于下月开始进行beta测试。韩国科学技术信息通信部表示，这项名为“AI for All”的项目将允许用户通过即时通讯软件、电话和短信进行预订、支付和其他操作。Kakao、KT和SK Telecom三家运营商联盟将牵头负责该项目。韩国政府表示，此举旨在让本土人工智能在日常生活中变得易于使用。

这三家运营商分别是 SK Telecom、KT 和 Kakao 牵头的财团。

这些项目将于下个月进入beta测试阶段，并于今年晚些时候正式发布。

Kakao的目标是到12月达到500万月活跃用户，到2027年底达到1000万月活跃用户。

KT 推出了 Ieum，这是一项将通用人工智能代理与公共事务、教育、金融和购物服务相结合的服务。

SK Telecom 联盟将为在使用移动应用程序或网络服务时遇到困难的用户提供电话和短信客服。

发布于2026年9月4日下午4:23（韩国标准时间）

韩国副总理兼科学技术信息通信部部长裴京勋周五在首尔韩国新闻中心就“人工智能惠及所有人”项目举行新闻发布会。图片由韩国科学技术信息通信部提供。

韩国将于今年年底前向所有公民推出免费的人工智能（AI）代理服务，允许用户通过手机通讯软件、电话和短信等方式使用AI代理来执行预订和支付等现实世界的任务。

韩国科学技术信息通信部和“AI for All”项目运营商于周五举行新闻发布会，概述了他们的服务计划。这些项目将于下个月进入测试阶段，并于今年晚些时候正式上线。这三家运营商分别是SK Telecom和KT两家电信运营商牵头的财团，以及移动通讯公司Kakao。

“我们的最终目标是让自主研发的人工智能服务自然融入人们的日常生活，”韩国副总理兼科学技术信息通信部部长裴京勋表示，“最重要的是人们能否轻松获取这些服务，使用频率如何，以及这些服务在日常生活中究竟能起到多大作用。”

由Kakao牵头的联盟将与LG集团合作，以KakaoTalk即时通讯软件为入口，推出其人工智能服务。该联盟将基于Kakao的Kanana和LG的EXAONE等人工智能模型，提供代理服务，用户可在一次对话中完成从信息搜索到预订、支付等一系列任务。

Kakao表示，这项服务无需安装单独的应用程序或学习新的界面。该公司计划在12月前实现500万月活跃用户，并计划在2027年底前将用户群扩大到1000万。

KT 联盟推出了 Ieum，这是一项综合服务，它结合了由实时搜索驱动的通用人工智能代理，以及公共服务、教育、金融和购物等领域的服务。

KT表示，将通过其代币工厂运营各种自主研发的人工智能模型和基础设施资产，包括图形处理器和神经处理器。该公司表示，通过此举，将把服务拓展为韩国人工智能生态系统的市场和增长平台。

SK Telecom财团表示，将推出基于电话和短信的客服人员，以便那些使用移动应用或网络服务有困难的用户能够更便捷地获取服务。其人工智能服务将代表用户处理包括身份验证、公共服务申请和支付等各种流程，而不仅仅是回答问题。

“政府将不遗余力地帮助‘全民人工智能’成为韩国的旗舰人工智能服务，”裴表示。“我呼吁所有参与者共同努力，争取在今年晚些时候成功上线，使这项服务能够为人们的日常生活带来更多便利，同时为企业开辟全新的国内人工智能市场。”