Key facts
- Presidential policy chief Kim Yong-beom advocated for substantial state investment in AI infrastructure.
- He stated that the current AI era necessitates new state infrastructure to support national growth.
- Kim highlighted the need for significant electricity, land, and a new industrial ecosystem.
- The policy chief also stressed the importance of social discussions on equitable benefit sharing from AI-driven growth.
SEOUL, June 24 (Yonhap) -- The presidential policy chief of South Korea has called for aggressive state investment in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, emphasizing that the dawn of a new AI era requires significant foundational support to enhance the nation's potential growth trajectory.
Kim Yong-beom, presidential chief of staff for policy, made these remarks on Wednesday at a discussion hosted by the Kwanhun Club, a prominent association of senior journalists. His comments come amid a notable boom in the South Korean stock market, largely fueled by AI-related chipmakers that have reported record profits and stock gains.
Kim posited that if the current semiconductor and AI supercycle represents the beginning of a structural transformation that will elevate South Korea's potential growth and reorganize its industrial landscape, then the nation's response must be equally transformative. He asserted that the new AI era demands new state infrastructure to underpin this drive, advocating for preemptive investments aggressive enough to reshape the country's industrial map.