Korea's Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon attended the Group of 20 (G20) Innovation Ministerial Meeting held in North Carolina on Tuesday, according to Bae's office.

The meeting is part of the broader series of G20 events leading up to the leaders' summit scheduled for December in Miami, Florida, this year. It brought together policymakers and high-level executives from 21 countries to discuss artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies. Poland participated as this year's guest nation, the science ministry said. The gathering comes as governments worldwide race to shape rules and infrastructure for AI, and ministerial-level forums like this one often set the agenda for cooperation—or friction—over technology standards, supply chains and cross-border data flows at the leaders' summit.

At the event, Bae introduced Korea's policies aimed at nurturing AI into the country's key growth driver. He also shared the progress of the government's tripolar "megaproject" initiative, a massive investment plan unveiled in June centered on three pillars: AI data centers, advanced semiconductors and physical AI. Physical AI refers to AI systems embedded in physical machines such as robots and autonomous vehicles. The emphasis on semiconductors and data centers aligns with Korea's existing industrial strengths: the country is home to Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, two of the world's largest memory chipmakers, giving it a stake in the hardware layer of the global AI buildout.

The minister reiterated Korea's commitment to contributing to the establishment of a global AI ecosystem, and asked member nations for their interest in the country's digital policies.

Participants plan to adopt a ministerial statement following the event, the science ministry said. Such statements, while non-binding, typically signal areas of consensus among member economies and can foreshadow agreements reached at the leaders' level.

The G20 is an international forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union, and its rotating presidency coordinates ministerial meetings throughout the year ahead of the annual leaders' summit.