Korean live broadcasts will soon be translated into Vietnamese in real time and delivered in natural, human-like voices, thanks to a pioneering AI technology set for live field testing.

The Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) announced on November 13 that AunionAI, a startup founded by Professor Hong-Kook Kim of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, will deploy its AI real-time dubbing and multilingual translation technology during the live broadcast of Global Gwangju Broadcasting’s (GGN) program, “The Boy’s Path: K-Democracy Humanities Radio Tour,” on November 14.

This deployment is part of the "2026 Startup Product Demonstration Support Project" organized by the Gwangju Technopark, aiming to rigorously test and validate an AI-based multilingual broadcasting system in an actual live environment.

“The Boy’s Path” is an interactive cultural broadcasting event where citizens, expatriates, and international students walk together through historical sites in Gwangju that served as the backdrop for Nobel Prize laureate Han Kang’s novel, Human Acts. Participants travel from Chonnam National University, past Gwangju Station and the former intercity bus terminal, to the 5.18 Democracy Square, sharing the historical significance of the May 18 Democratization Movement, democracy, human rights, and peace.

Scheduled for November 14 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM, the live broadcast will be conducted in Korean and English, with Vietnamese real-time AI dubbing streamed via GGN’s official YouTube channel.

The broadcast marks the debut of “AunionAI-DUB Plus,” an automated dubbing solution by AunionAI. The technology utilizes AI to instantly recognize broadcast audio, translate it into another language, and convert it into a synthesized voice. A key feature of the solution is its ability to provide foreign-language dubbing without requiring any modifications to existing broadcasting transmission infrastructures.

Additionally, the real-time AI interpretation and translation platform “eduRST” will be utilized. Without needing to install a separate application, participants can scan a QR code to access a web interface where they can view real-time translated subtitles in their preferred language. They can also listen to the translations using Text-to-Speech (TTS) functionality.

Industry experts note that this demonstration is particularly significant because it applies AI dubbing and translation technology to a live broadcast rather than pre-recorded footage, testing whether real-time speech recognition, translation, and speech synthesis can operate stably under live production pressures.

Building on the results of this demonstration, AunionAI plans to expand its AI multilingual communication technology into various sectors, including education, international conferences, and cultural events.

“This event is meaningful as it applies our AI-based real-time dubbing and translation technology directly to a live broadcasting environment,” said Professor Kim Hong-Kook, CEO of AunionAI. “We will continue advancing our technology so that people from diverse countries and cultures can communicate more freely by lowering language barriers.”

Founded in 2023 as a GIST faculty startup, AunionAI leverages over 30 years of research expertise in voice and audio AI accumulated by Professor Kim. The company develops various innovative solutions, including AI dubbing software, real-time interpretation platforms, and the personalized voice service “dajeongVOX.”

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]