KT Corp, Yonsei University Health System team up to advance medical AI

KT Corp is joining forces with Yonsei University Health System to drive innovation in medical AI in South Korea, with plans to upgrade medical data and strengthen the foundation for AI applications.

KT Corp said Tuesday it signed an MOU with Yonsei University Health System at the health system's campus in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, to strengthen the basis for medical data utilization and enhance the future competitiveness of South Korean healthcare. The signing ceremony was attended by Kim Bong-gyun, head of KT Corp's enterprise division, Keum Ki-chang, president of Yonsei University Health System, and other key officials.

As AI technology advances rapidly, the value of the vast medical data hospitals hold — including clinical records, test results, medical imaging and research data — has grown significantly. However, the diverse formats and structures of medical data often make it difficult for AI systems to use directly.

As a result, the ability to systematically standardize and structure data and convert it into forms suitable for AI training and analysis has emerged as a key competitive advantage for healthcare institutions.

The two organizations plan to carry out several tasks: expanding the foundation for medical data standardization, upgrading data utilization infrastructure, researching ways to apply AI-based medical services, and building a mid-to-long-term cooperation framework to promote medical data utilization. They also aim to convert data generated at clinical sites into forms that AI can learn from, analyze and use — laying the groundwork for data-driven healthcare innovation.

Under the partnership, KT Corp will leverage its AI transformation (AX) platform capabilities to convert medical data into digital assets that AI can analyze and build out a data utilization infrastructure. The company plans to help healthcare institutions use the data they hold as high-quality AI assets and accelerate the development of future medical service models.

Yonsei University Health System will draw on its clinical expertise to identify data utilization requirements and review approaches centered on medical staff.

Beyond routine operational cooperation, KT Corp and Yonsei University Health System also plan to identify research initiatives aimed at innovating medical services. Both institutions expressed ambitions to expand collaboration with a range of organizations to grow the domestic medical AI ecosystem.

"The future competitiveness of medicine depends on the ability to leverage data and AI," Keum said. "Through this partnership, Yonsei University Health System will accelerate digital innovation across all areas of clinical care, research and education, and lead healthcare innovation in South Korea."

"AI competitiveness ultimately starts with data," Kim said. "KT Corp will build South Korea's medical AI ecosystem together with Yonsei University Health System, drawing on our expertise in upgrading medical data into forms optimized for AI use and on our AX platform technology."