The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and King Saud University of Saudi Arabia held a meeting on the 3rd at the Seoul Dogok campus to discuss strategic cooperation for the establishment of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital platforms. As the global AI ecosystem is being divided between the closed models of the United States and the national technology systems of China, the plan is to build a differentiated open platform by combining Saudi Arabia's strategic investments with Korea's core AI technologies and application capabilities. In particular, there are plans to establish a joint research institute in the AI field to develop AI and apply it to real industries, with the two institutions expected to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) soon.
The Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) announced on the 4th that they signed a memorandum of understanding for the designation of an AI-BIO Joint Innovation Center and research collaboration at KRIBB's headquarters in Daejeon. Through this agreement, the two institutions will designate KRIBB's 'AI-BIO Pharmaceutical Research Institute' and ETRI's 'Digital Bio-Medical Research Headquarters' as the 'AI-BIO Joint Innovation Center' and plan to enhance the research level in the domestic AI-BIO sector by converging KRIBB's advanced bio capabilities with ETRI's ICT technologies.
Professor Jo Jae-won from the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) has published a book titled 'Currency Based on Excrement: Spreading from Below.' This book explains the concept of value production and compensation using excrement and explores the social feasibility of currency based on excrement, focusing on experiments conducted from 2019 to 2021 in the Guyoung-ri area of Ulsan and the UNIST campus. Professor Jo noted, 'This book presents an economic vision in preparation for the digital and quantum computer era,' and added that it conveys a message to enhance interactions between humans and nature, and that social miracles can be anticipated through public participation.
The Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI) held a side event for the 4th Financing for Development conference on the 2nd (local time) at the FIBES Conference and Exhibition Center No. 12 in Seville, Spain, on the theme of 'Bridging the Science and Technology Innovation (STI) Policy Capacity Gap through International Cooperation and Sustainable Development.' During this event, experiences were shared on capacity-building projects for science and technology policy underway in regions including Latin America (UNIDO), Asia (STEPI), and Africa (EC-JRC), discussing ways to enhance policy capacities for the formulation and execution of STI strategies in developing countries.
Chairperson Choi Won-ho of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission visited the Korea Radiation Promotion Association on the 4th to hold a roundtable with radiation-utilizing institutions. The Korea Radiation Promotion Association, established in 1985, aims to contribute to the promotion of the radiation industry and the development of the national economy. The roundtable was convened to emphasize the importance of management's interest in the safety management of radiation-utilizing institutions while listening to on-site opinions, and the attending executives of the radiation-utilizing institutions exchanged views with the Commission on key matters in various sectors including medical radiation safety management, radiation devices, and imports and exports.