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White House: 'China-linked' South Korean telecom firm eyed in AI access review

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A South Korean telecommunications company with suspected ties to China reportedly raised concerns within the White House, influencing US export control reviews of AI models.
  • The company was allegedly added to Anthropic's list of entities granted access to its advanced AI model 'Mythos 5' without full vetting, leading to distrust.
  • While LG Uplus and SK Telecom have been speculated as the company in question, both have denied any such ties or access.

A South Korean telecommunications firm, suspected of having links to China, has become a focal point in the U.S. government's review of export controls for advanced artificial intelligence models, according to a report by The Washington Post. Anonymous White House officials indicated that the company's inclusion on a list of entities granted access to Anthropic's top-tier AI model, 'Mythos 5,' fueled distrust within the Trump administration.

The inclusion of a 'South Korean telecommunications company' suspected of being linked to China on the list of institutions granted access to Mythos was discovered late, increasing the White House's distrust.

— Anonymous White House OfficialCited by The Washington Post regarding the AI export control review.

The controversy reportedly escalated when Anthropic submitted a list of 111 organizations approved for Mythos 5 access, which the government reviewed and approved. However, Anthropic later revealed it had granted additional access to approximately 50 more entities. During the review of this expanded list, the White House identified the South Korean telecommunications company with alleged Chinese connections, significantly eroding confidence in Anthropic's ability to manage access to its powerful AI.

Anthropic stated it has since revoked the company's access to Mythos 5. The situation was further complicated when Amazon, a major investor in Anthropic, reported security vulnerabilities in Anthropic's 'Fable 5' model to the government. The White House reportedly viewed these incidents as a series of management failures, leading to the decision on December 12 to impose export controls on Anthropic's most advanced models.

We have never received access to Mythos.

— LG Uplus OfficialDenying allegations of having access to Anthropic's AI model.

Speculation in the industry has centered on which South Korean telecom company is involved. Some have pointed to LG Uplus, as it is the only one of the three major South Korean carriers to have adopted Huawei's telecommunications equipment. However, LG Uplus has vehemently denied ever receiving access to Mythos 5. SK Telecom, which announced its participation in Anthropic's 'Project Glasswing' and secured Mythos 5 access on December 4, has also faced scrutiny. SK Telecom has asserted that there is no basis to link the company to China and questioned the factual accuracy of the report.

There is no basis to consider our company linked to China.

— SK Telecom OfficialResponding to speculation about the company's alleged ties to China.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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