South Korea will allow AI researchers to fulfill their military obligations at large corporate laboratories from 2027, reopening a route closed for 14 years, but strict eligibility rules have left companies seeking fewer places. Four companies — LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Samsung Medison and HD Hyundai Robotics — have been recommended to participate, according to Ministry of Science and ICT data obtained by Rep. Hwang Jung-a of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. They requested 81 placements across nine research institutes, short of the 120 reserved for large-company laboratories. The alternative-service program allows eligible science and engineering researchers with master’s or doctoral degrees to meet their military obligations through three years of research. New placements at large businesses were halted in 2013. The plan sets aside 240 positions for master’s-level AI researchers in 2027: 120 at large-company laboratories and 120 at government-funded and defense-industry research institutes. Allocations to large companies will run for three years through 2029. The nine recommended institutes requested just over two-thirds of the available placements, leaving 39 places unsubscribed at the recommendation stage. To qualify, large companies must spend at least 5 percent of revenue on R&D, operate in a field that does not directly compete with smaller businesses and demonstrate objectively verifiable research achievements. The Military Manpower Administration must approve the participating institutes and determine their allocations.