The gaming industry has been included in the scope of military service exemptions for artificial intelligence (AI) research. The Military Manpower Administration (MMA) has opened the door for large corporations to be designated as institutions for specialized research personnel, provided they possess sufficient AI R&D capabilities. The Digital Economy Alliance, which includes the Korea Association of Game Industry, issued a welcoming statement on the 12nd, calling it "a policy-level recognition that the digital content industry, including gaming, is a core sector driving AI technological innovation and national industrial competitiveness."

On the 10th, the MMA announced the '2027 Criteria for Selection of Military Service-Designated Institutions and Personnel Allocation.' The total number of industrial support personnel for 2027 is set at 6,300, including 2300 specialized research personnel, 3200 industrial technical personnel, and 800 maritime service personnel.

A notable change in this announcement is the preferential treatment for the AI sector. The MMA has explicitly included 'companies with global AI R&D capabilities'—including large corporations—as eligible for designation as specialized research personnel institutions. Given that the master's-level specialized research personnel program has historically been centered on research institutes affiliated with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), opening this path to large corporate research organizations marks a shift in the program's operational direction.

Specific personnel allocations have also been established. For the AI sector, 240 specialized research personnel will be allocated to large corporate research institutes (120) and government-funded or defense industry research institutes (120). This will be a three-year pilot program running from 2027 to 2029. Furthermore, recommending authorities will grant bonus points to AI research institutions during the selection process, and AI-related research institutes affiliated with mid-sized companies will receive preferential treatment in personnel allocation.

Major game companies, which were previously ineligible for master's-level specialized research personnel due to their asset size, can now apply for designation by leveraging their AI research organizations. Leading domestic game companies already operate dedicated AI units. Those with separate AI R&D subsidiaries or internal AI departments are likely to be prioritized for review.

Companies wishing to be designated for military service exemptions and personnel allocation must submit their applications and required personnel counts to the recommending authority by June 30. Not all applicants will be selected; final allocations will be determined based on the scale of support personnel, recommendation Grade, and comprehensive evaluation results.

Large corporations, in particular, must meet the 'global AI R&D capability' criteria and will lose their personnel allocation if they fail to meet AI-sector standards after selection. This suggests that the selection process will likely favor companies that can provide objective proof of their R&D achievements.

In its statement, the Digital Economy Alliance highlighted 'human resources' as the key significance of this measure. The alliance stated, "Domestic AI research talent has previously faced limitations, with research careers interrupted by military service requirements or lost to overseas brain drain," adding, "Now that an environment has been created where young talent can focus on research and development without interruption, this will serve as an opportunity to elevate global technological competitiveness across all sectors of the digital economy."

The alliance also emphasized the role of AI in the gaming industry. Citing advancements in NPC behavior, personalized user experiences, content generation, and operational automation, it noted, "A new development paradigm that integrates AI into the entire development process is rapidly spreading across digital content sectors, including gaming." This reflects the recognition that game development has entered a stage where it cannot be separated from AI R&D.

The Digital Economy Alliance is a consultative body consisting of seven organizations, including the Korea Association of Game Industry, the Korea Internet Corporations Association, the Korea Online Shopping Association, the Korea Fintech Industry Association, the Korea Startup Forum, the Korea Venture Business Association, and the Korea Digital Advertising Association. The alliance stated, "We will continue to actively invest in AI technology and create jobs in response to the government's trust and support."

The military service exemption program has served as a barometer for which industries the government intends to foster strategically. The fact that AI has been placed alongside materials, components, Equipment, semiconductors, and the defense industry as a target for bonus points—and that temporary allocations have been extended to large corporations—signals that securing AI talent is now being treated as a matter of national security and industrial policy.

For the gaming industry, this provides a basis to categorize itself as a 'strategic AI industry.' While games have long been treated as consumer goods or leisure content within regulatory discourse, the industry is now positioning itself as a 'real-world stage for AI R&D' in this phase of policy improvement. As the global AI race intensifies into a war for talent, whether the industry can turn the unique Korean variable of military service into a competitive advantage will be a key point to watch over the next three years.

It remains to be seen how many game companies will actually be selected. Specific criteria for 'global AI R&D capability' and the method for distributing the 120 spots allocated to large corporations are expected to be clarified during the recommendation agency's public notice and inspection process. The announcement of the first selection results this coming November will serve as a litmus test for the caliber of AI research organizations within the gaming industry.