South Korea reopens a program letting AI talent fulfill their military obligations by doing research in corporate labs instead of conventional military service (Jo He-rim/The Korea Herald)

South Korea’s revived program allows AI specialists to satisfy mandatory military service by conducting research in corporate labs, giving large enterprises renewed access to scarce technical talent and potentially accelerating AI R&D. For CIOs and technology leaders, this is a strategic workforce lever: it can improve recruiting and retention in a highly competitive market, but strict eligibility rules and limited slots mean IT organizations will need to plan carefully and move quickly to benefit. The policy also signals continued government support for AI as a national priority, which could further intensify competition for top AI engineers and researchers.