South Korea’s presidential policy chief emphasized on Wednesday that the emergent artificial intelligence (AI) era necessitates a robust new national infrastructure and proactive, aggressive investment to accelerate the nation’s potential growth trajectory in advanced AI technologies.
Kim Yong-beom, the presidential chief of staff for policy, conveyed this crucial message during a discussion hosted by the esteemed Kwanhun Club, an association of senior journalists. His remarks come amidst a significant stock market surge in South Korea, largely fueled by unprecedented profits and substantial stock gains from AI-related semiconductor manufacturers.
“If the ongoing semiconductor and AI supercycle truly marks the genesis of a structural transformation poised to elevate South Korea’s long-term growth potential and fundamentally reorganize its industrial landscape, our strategic response must evolve accordingly,” Kim articulated during the high-profile meeting.
He further elaborated that the dawning AI era demands a sophisticated national infrastructure to underpin this ambitious drive. Kim asserted that the government must “strategically lay a formidable growth foundation through preemptive investment that is sufficiently aggressive to comprehensively reshape South Korea’s industrial map for future AI dominance.”
Highlighting specific requirements, the policy chief underscored the critical need for substantial energy resources and strategic land allocation, alongside fostering an entirely new industrial ecosystem tailored for AI. He suggested that regional areas could emerge as pivotal industrial hubs, accommodating next-generation data centers, advanced future electricity networks, and other vital AI-centric infrastructure.
Kim also argued that the profound shifts brought by the new AI era necessitate broader societal discussions on the equitable utilization of excess tax revenues, in addition to developing comprehensive policies that address emerging social and labor market challenges. “We must critically examine how the benefits and fruits of growth in the AI era are fairly and inclusively shared across society,” he concluded.
