This image, provided by the Bank of Korea (BOK) on Jan. 21, 2026, shows the newly introduced artificial intelligence (AI) system, dubbed BOKI. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 21 (Korea Bizwire) — The Bank of Korea on Wednesday introduced an in-house artificial intelligence system developed in partnership with Naver, the country’s largest internet company, as the central bank moves to strengthen its research capacity and safeguard control over sensitive financial data.
The system, known as BOKI — short for Bank of Korea Intelligence — was unveiled at a joint A.I. conference in Seoul. Designed specifically for financial and economic analysis, the platform has been deployed within the central bank’s internal network and is accessible only to employees.
Built on Naver’s cloud infrastructure and large language model technology, BOKI is intended to support a wide range of internal functions, including answering policy-related queries, summarizing and analyzing research documents, and translating official publications into foreign languages.
Officials said the system is structured around five core pillars aligned with the central bank’s primary responsibilities, reflecting an effort to tailor artificial intelligence tools to institutional needs rather than relying on commercial, externally hosted models.
The project is part of a broader digital transformation strategy launched by the Bank of Korea in 2020, aimed at modernizing research processes and strengthening data governance. Full-scale development of the A.I. system began in 2024.
At the event, Bank of Korea Governor Rhee Chang-yong emphasized the importance of what he described as “sovereign A.I.” — systems developed domestically and trained to reflect national institutional frameworks.
The main building of the Bank of Korea. (Yonhap)
“A sovereign A.I. is essential for building technology that deeply understands the history, institutions and cultural characteristics of our financial and economic system,” Mr. Rhee said.
He added that cooperation between the central bank and Naver could serve as a model for public-private collaboration, helping to stimulate broader growth in South Korea’s A.I. industry.
Lee Hae-jin, Naver’s founder and board chair, said the initiative was rooted in a shared view that the central bank’s data constitutes a strategic national asset.
“The Bank of Korea’s data plays a critical role in supporting sound monetary policy and financial stability,” Mr. Lee said. “This project is expected to bring innovation to the central bank’s operations and help elevate the country’s financial intelligence to the next level.”
The launch reflects growing interest among public institutions worldwide in developing proprietary A.I. systems, as governments seek to balance technological efficiency with concerns over data security, sovereignty and institutional accountability.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
