South Korean President Lee Jae-myung announced on July 24 (local time) that the country will become an irreplaceable core nation in the global artificial intelligence supply chain, delivering a keynote speech at the Global AI Summit in San Francisco. The president outlined a strategic vision to transform South Korea into an AI semiconductor production base, a global testbed for AI technology, and a cooperation platform connecting world AI markets. Lee stated this transformation builds on the country's world-class memory semiconductor competitiveness and production capacity to ensure global companies can stably build AI infrastructure under any circumstances. The announcement addresses the critical challenge of establishing stable AI supply chains as technology, production capacity, data, energy, markets, and talent converge into interconnected networks.
South Korea Commits to AI Semiconductor Production Base Role
President Lee pledged to make South Korea a trusted AI semiconductor production base and supply chain partner leveraging the country's world-class memory semiconductor competitiveness and production capacity. "We will ensure companies worldwide can stably build AI infrastructure and continue technological innovation under any circumstances," Lee stated during the summit. The president emphasized that the AI era connects technology and production capacity, data and energy, markets and talent into one massive supply chain, making stable supply chain construction the most important challenge to address collectively.
Lee diagnosed that the era when AI competition was determined solely by software algorithm development has passed. "The era has arrived where competitiveness is determined by how much computing resources are secured, stable energy is supplied, abundant data is connected, and how quickly these are applied to industry and daily life," the president explained. "Even the world's best AI models cannot operate without stable supply of advanced semiconductors, and even outstanding semiconductors can only create new value when there is massive AI demand."
The government plans to transition to a multi-polar production base system where the capital region and provinces together take responsibility for global semiconductor supply, based on the large-scale investment plan announced in June. Lee described this as "a national-level supply chain safety device to continue semiconductor production amid any crisis and South Korea's responsible investment to prevent global semiconductor shortages."
Government Plans AI Testbed and Market Expansion
President Lee presented plans to make South Korea the market where AI technology becomes reality most rapidly. "South Korea will go beyond supply to become a country that uses AI most quickly and effectively, creating new markets where the world can grow together," Lee stated. The strategy relies on manufacturing competitiveness, digital infrastructure, and citizens and companies with high receptivity to new technologies to rapidly spread AI to industrial sites, public services, and citizens' daily lives.
"We will become a global AI testbed and production platform where AI actually operates beyond research labs and digital spaces in manufacturing plants, cities, and logistics sites everywhere," the president emphasized. Lee projected that AI will be developed, verified, and broadly applied to industrial sites more rapidly on South Korea's AI production platform, with accumulated data improving AI performance and reliability, creating a virtuous cycle where more advanced AI again enhances industrial productivity and citizens' lives.
Starting at the end of this year, the president mentioned the 'AI for All' project involving 50 million citizens. The government aims to create the world's most dynamic AI market by applying AI across public services including administration, welfare, and education, emphasizing South Korea's market potential to global companies. "Please choose South Korea as the stage for innovation and investment where you can most rapidly turn your technology and ideas into reality," Lee told global companies. "The Korean people and businesses will be your most reliable partners."
President Proposes Global AI Cooperation Platform
Lee revealed plans to make South Korea a global hub expanding world AI markets. "We will not remain merely a country that uses AI," the president stated. "We will build horizontal cooperation networks with various countries to create new AI markets and enable citizens of more countries to participate in AI innovation opportunities."
The president clearly expressed intent to establish human-centered AI order ensuring AI benefits do not concentrate in specific countries or classes. "South Korea is considering new distribution models so AI benefits spread throughout society rather than remaining with specific classes while maintaining innovation dynamism," Lee said.
Lee Announces AI Basic Society Framework
The president defined a vision for an 'AI Basic Society' where no one is excluded. "Even in the AI era, we will create a society where all citizens receive more robust guarantees of basic rights including education and healthcare, and no one—from small and medium enterprises to small business owners and vulnerable groups—is left behind," Lee stated.
Lee emphasized South Korea's comprehensive transformation: "South Korea will become a global AI production base and soil for innovation, leaping forward as an irreplaceable global AI cooperation platform connecting world technology, capital, talent, and ideas." The announcement positions South Korea as both a production center and a collaborative ecosystem for global AI development, with explicit commitments to inclusive growth and international partnership.
FAQ
What did South Korea's president announce at the San Francisco AI Summit on July 24?
President Lee Jae-myung announced South Korea will become an irreplaceable core nation in the global AI supply chain, presenting a vision to transform the country into an AI semiconductor production base, global testbed, and cooperation platform. The president pledged to leverage South Korea's memory semiconductor competitiveness to ensure stable AI infrastructure for global companies.
What is South Korea's AI for All project starting at the end of this year?
The AI for All project will involve 50 million South Korean citizens and apply AI across public services including administration, welfare, and education. The government aims to create the world's most dynamic AI market by rapidly spreading AI to industrial sites, public services, and citizens' daily lives, positioning South Korea as a global AI testbed and production platform.
What is the AI Basic Society framework announced by President Lee?
The AI Basic Society framework aims to ensure AI benefits spread throughout society rather than concentrating in specific classes. President Lee stated all citizens will receive robust guarantees of basic rights including education and healthcare in the AI era, with no exclusion of small and medium enterprises, small business owners, or vulnerable groups, while South Korea maintains innovation dynamism.
