Institute recruits top experts in five key fields to advance future strategic technologies

KAIST professors Choi Sung-hyun (left) and Jeong Song, newly appointed as special advisers to ETRI. [KAIST]
KAIST professors Choi Sung-hyun (left) and Jeong Song, newly appointed as special advisers to ETRI. [KAIST]

The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) said it has appointed two KAIST professors — Choi Sung-hyun of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Jeong Song, dean of the Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI — as its inaugural special advisers to lead research innovation in AI, three-dimensional communications and other future core technology fields.

ETRI established the special adviser system to respond more proactively to a rapidly shifting technology landscape and to strengthen strategic research and development aligned with national and institutional priorities.

The two professors bring both academic achievement and industry experience in AI and next-generation communications. In their advisory roles, they will counsel ETRI on major technology and R&D strategy.

They will also help identify promising future technologies and key research priorities.

In addition, they will connect domestic and international industry, academic and research networks to uncover new opportunities for joint research and collaboration.

Choi, appointed special adviser for three-dimensional communications, is a professor in KAIST's Department of Electrical Engineering and a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). His research focuses on AI-native networks, 6G, AI-RAN, wireless LAN and mobile communications systems.

Choi previously served as a professor at Seoul National University and as a vice president at Samsung Electronics, giving him broad experience across academia and industry. He is expected to draw on that background to help shape the direction of next-generation communications research and identify future core technologies.

Jeong, appointed special adviser for AI, is an ICT endowed chair professor at KAIST, dean of the Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI and director of the Edge AI Research Center. Jeong has accumulated wide experience in AI research and talent development, including a previous term as director of the KAIST AI Institute.

Jeong is expected to contribute expertise to advancing ETRI's AI research strategy and identifying future core AI technologies.

ETRI said it intends to run the special adviser system not as a simple external consultancy but as a sustained collaborative framework that maintains ongoing communication with researchers on the ground. Through the arrangement, the institute plans to bring the fresh perspectives and accumulated experience of leading experts into its research operations and expand open research collaboration across industry, academia and research institutions.

"Advanced technologies such as AI are evolving at a rapid pace and the boundaries between fields are breaking down quickly, making close collaboration with top outside experts just as important as building internal capabilities," ETRI President Park Se-woong said. "We will actively integrate the special advisers' expertise and experience into our research operations to proactively identify promising future technologies and deliver world-class research outcomes that the nation needs."


nbgkoo@heraldcorp.com