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By Ian Werther in News —

HUFS and Naver Cloud Sign AI Education and Smart Campus MOU

Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) in Seoul and Naver Cloud signed a memorandum of understanding on AI-based education and research innovation, as well as the development of an AI-powered smart campus, in a Seoul campus meeting room on the 13th. The agreement aims to deepen industry–academia collaboration and cultivate AI talent through shared infrastructure and programs.

The MOU outlines plans for joint efforts across AI infrastructure deployment, supporting the university’s AI transformation, and building a smart campus. It also covers ongoing research collaboration, the development of AI-focused university programs, and participation in AI-centered initiatives that connect education, industry, and innovation.

Bakonybél Abbey Saint Maurice church. Baroque, single nave church. Foundation stone placed in 1750 Sacrified in 1854 Built in 1758(?). Damged by fire in 1780, Renovation completed in 1782. On facade is a World War I marble plaque-relief by János Adami (1874-1935) reinstalled in 2020, from a demolished WWII memorial, former stand before the church, a WWII plaque also installed on the facade of the church - Interior: Main altarpiece is a Ignác Polinger (Pohlinger) works (1758), shows: King Saint Stephen, and Gisela of Hungary, Saint Maurice on cloud, at back soldiers, martyrs, on the upper part is the coronation of the Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven. At the main altar statues: Emeric, Ladislaus I and the four Evangelists - On left Saint Mary Altar, altapiace about Virgin Mary (destroy the serpent, which symbolizes sin?); on right altarpiece of the Benedict of Nursia /18th cent. altars, 19th century altarpieces/. There is paintings: King Stephen and Queen Gisela entrust Prince Emeric's education to Saint Gellért by Frigyes Krepp from Győr AND Holy Family Return from Jerusalem to Nazareth by István Dorffmeister Sr. (1779). Pulpit (1760). The listed church organ by Jozsef/Joseph? Wilde made in 1822, renewed in 2018 by Péter Takács organ builder - Fő Road (Road 8301), Szent Gellért Square, Malom Street, Bakonybél, Veszprém County, Hungary.
Representative image for context; not directly related to the specific event in this article. License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Other pillars of the agreement include joint research and technology cooperation, talent development and student and staff exchanges, and expanding the AI education and research ecosystem. The partners also intend to pursue additional industry-academia projects that benefit both institutions.

HUFS President Kang Ki-hoon described the collaboration as a meaningful starting point for creating an AI-based smart campus and a future-oriented education and research environment. He said the initiative could fuse language, regional, and humanities expertise with AI technology to generate new value and serve as a model for industry–academic partnerships.

Naver Cloud CEO Kim Yu-won said the agreement would help forge an innovation ecosystem where AI technology readily informs teaching and research. He added that HUFS and Naver Cloud could serve as a testing ground for AI- and cloud-based innovation, drawing a parallel with Naver’s second headquarters project, 1784.

Bakonybél Abbey Saint Maurice church. Baroque, single nave church. Foundation stone placed in 1750 Sacrified in 1854 Built in 1758(?). Damged by fire in 1780, Renovation completed in 1782. On facade is a World War I marble plaque-relief by János Adami (1874-1935) reinstalled in 2020, from a demolished WWII memorial, former stand before the church, a WWII plaque also installed on the facade of the church - Interior: Main altarpiece is a Ignác Polinger (Pohlinger) works (1758), shows: King Saint Stephen, and Gisela of Hungary, Saint Maurice on cloud, at back soldiers, martyrs, on the upper part is the coronation of the Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven. At the main altar statues: Emeric, Ladislaus I and the four Evangelists - On left Saint Mary Altar, altapiace about Virgin Mary (destroy the serpent, which symbolizes sin?); on right altarpiece of the Benedict of Nursia /18th cent. altars, 19th century altarpieces/. There is paintings: King Stephen and Queen Gisela entrust Prince Emeric's education to Saint Gellért by Frigyes Krepp from Győr AND Holy Family Return from Jerusalem to Nazareth by István Dorffmeister Sr. (1779). Pulpit (1760). The listed church organ by Jozsef/Joseph? Wilde made in 1822, renewed in 2018 by Péter Takács organ builder - Fő Road (Road 8301), Szent Gellért Square, Malom Street, Bakonybél, Veszprém County, Hungary.
Representative image for context; not directly related to the specific event in this article. License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

For U.S. readers, the deal highlights how major Asian tech firms are partnering with universities to accelerate AI adoption in higher education, from classroom tools to campus operations and research pipelines. Such collaborations can influence international talent flows, cloud infrastructure standards, and cross-border research opportunities in AI, with potential implications for American universities, suppliers, and policy discussions on AI safety, data governance, and workforce development.

Context for non-Korean readers: HUFS is a national university in Seoul known for language and humanities studies, while Naver Cloud operates the cloud services arm of Korea’s tech giant Naver. The reference to 1784 denotes Naver’s notable new office project, signaling corporate investments tied to AI and cloud-based innovation in Korea.

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