DeepSeek looks for South Korean talent amid growing AI competition

It has been reported that Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is looking for competent South Korean developers to work with. The competition for skilled AI developers is only growing among major countries.

“We have been told that DeepSeek and other Chinese AI startups are giving job offers to South Korean developers through industry connections without posting official job openings,” said the head of a South Korean AI startup on Thursday. Likewise, an executive director from a U.S. tech firm said he got a call from a senior officer at DeepSeek, whom he had known personally, adding “He asked me to introduce capable South Korean developers, and I arranged some meetings. I am aware that DeepSeek has a great interest in attracting not only skilled Chinese developers but also global talent.”

With the AI battle between the United States and China only intensifying, critics argue that South Korea should actively secure AI experts to keep up with forerunners in emerging industries. Additionally, there's a growing sense of urgency to preemptively prepare for a potential outflow of AI experts to China so that the drain of talent from the semiconductor industry will not repeat itself. Many students choose medical schools over STEM fields, and even those who study STEM majors leave for overseas opportunities, particularly in the United States. Since the pandemic, a growing number of South Korean students have studied abroad, ending up either joining global tech giants or launching startups internationally instead of returning to their mother country.

Industry leaders also put forward many ideas and proposals at a public-private sector meeting held last Thursday by the National AI Committee in response to the emerging risks from DeepSeek. Upstage CEO Kim Sung-hoon said, “The government should subsidize half of the salary gap to draw South Korean-born leaders who are currently leading overseas tech giants such as OpenAI with attractive compensation packages.” Another committee meeting will be presided over by Acting President Choi Sang-mok this month to discuss follow-up measures.


장은지기자 jej@donga.com