Science ministry opens Busan hub for AI and software trainees

The science ministry said Wednesday it opened a Busan center for its AI·SW Maestro program, giving 150 selected trainees a route to advanced instruction outside the Seoul metropolitan area.

The ministry established the center to support AI transformation in industries in Busan and the southeastern region. The Aug. 12 opening at the center in Busan's Seomyeon neighborhood included a tape-cutting ceremony and a trainee representative's oath.

"Opening the Busan center is significant because it extends advanced AI and software education infrastructure, previously concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area, to the regions and gives talented local people an opportunity to grow," Nam Cheol-gi, the ministry's software policy director, said.

Busan's first intake drew 919 applicants for 150 places, a 6.1-to-1 ratio. Candidates were selected after coding tests and in-depth interviews, and the cohort completed a two-month preliminary program of project planning and team formation.

The trainees will receive intensive mentoring from leading experts through December and work to complete AI and software projects capable of becoming actual services.

The AI·SW Maestro course began in 2010 and has produced 2,096 advanced AI and software professionals and 149 startups. The ministry said graduate companies include Elice Group, named by Time among the world's best edtech companies, and Delight Room, listed by the Financial Times for four consecutive years among high-growth companies in Asia-Pacific.