The Korean government plans to develop the information security industry as a national strategic sector. With public and private security systems facing growing vulnerabilities, the government aims to transform cybersecurity from a mere defensive measure into a future growth engine, securing both national competitiveness and information safety.
The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) announced Wednesday it will pursue an "Information Security Industry Development Plan" targeting 30 trillion won in industry revenue, 5 trillion won in exports, 80 mid-to-large information security companies with revenue exceeding 50 billion won each, and 9,000 elite security professionals. As digital transformation accelerates with the spread of artificial intelligence (AI), security threats are growing in tandem, prompting the government to develop information security as a core sector supporting both industry and national security.
The key focus is strengthening AI security capabilities. The government plans to develop a platform that automatically analyzes and responds to threats across entire network segments using AI. For small and medium-sized enterprises, it will deploy AI agent-based "security assistants" that provide security diagnostics and remediation support. AI will also be integrated into physical security products such as CCTV cameras and security sensors to advance integrated monitoring technology. Companies with high growth potential will receive full-cycle support from R&D through demonstration, commercialization, and overseas expansion to become leading security firms.
Security integration across all industries will also be promoted. The government plans to establish collaborative frameworks for major sectors including energy, shipbuilding, robotics, and smart manufacturing, while creating threat management systems covering the entire software supply chain. Talent development and regional support will be strengthened as well. The government will train white-hat hackers and AI security specialists that industry demands, while expanding information security support centers and industry clusters nationwide to broaden regional security ecosystems.
