President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea officially launched the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Committee on September 8, 2025, positioning himself as chairman in an ambitious bid to propel the country into the top three global AI powerhouses. The ceremony, held at Seoul Square in central Seoul at 2 PM, marked a significant shift in Korea's AI policy approach, emphasizing inclusive and human-centered artificial intelligence development.
For American readers, this development represents a major strategic pivot for South Korea, similar to how the Biden administration established the National AI Initiative Office to coordinate federal AI research and development. However, Korea's approach is notably more centralized, with the president directly chairing the committee—a level of executive involvement that would be comparable to the U.S. President personally leading a national technology initiative.
The restructured committee significantly strengthens Korea's AI governance framework. Membership expanded from 45 to 50 members, while the number of vice-chairpersons increased from one to three, demonstrating the Lee administration's commitment to comprehensive AI policy implementation. The appointment of Lim Moon-young, chairman of the Democratic Party's Digital Special Committee, as the first dedicated vice-chairman creates a crucial bridge between political leadership and technical expertise—a model that differs from America's more distributed approach across multiple agencies.
Three-Pillar Strategy with Comprehensive Implementation Plan
The closed-door meeting following the launch ceremony established three core policy pillars: "AI Innovation Ecosystem Development," "Nationwide AI-Based Transformation," and "Global AI Society Contribution," supported by 12 strategic areas. This framework goes beyond mere technological development, encompassing society-wide AI integration—a more holistic approach than typically seen in U.S. federal AI initiatives, which often focus on specific sectors or research domains.
The committee plans to develop and announce a comprehensive action plan by November, integrating detailed implementation tasks from all government ministries. This timeline is remarkably aggressive by international standards. The discussion also covered the National AI Computing Center initiative for building Korea's "AI highway," with the government proposing to establish a public-private joint special purpose corporation (SPC) and secure 15,000 high-performance GPUs by 2028 and 50,000 by 2030. To put this in American perspective, this would be equivalent to a federal initiative combining the computational power of multiple national laboratories with private sector partnerships on an unprecedented scale.
The financial implications are substantial. High-performance GPUs suitable for AI training currently cost between $30,000-$50,000 each, putting the 2028 target at approximately $450-750 million in hardware alone, and the 2030 goal at $1.5-2.5 billion. This represents a massive public investment comparable to major U.S. infrastructure projects like the CHIPS and Science Act, which allocated $280 billion for domestic semiconductor research and manufacturing.
Inclusive AI and Global Development Strategy
President Lee's emphasis on inclusive AI addresses concerns familiar to American policymakers about technology's potential to exacerbate inequality. His statement that "the state's role for the socially vulnerable and marginalized is most important to prevent changes brought by AI from leading to deepening polarization and imbalance" mirrors ongoing debates in the U.S. about AI's impact on employment and social equity.
The president's vision for "AI for everyone that anyone can easily access and use, and human-centered inclusive AI" aligns with similar initiatives in American cities and states working to ensure equitable AI access. However, Korea's approach appears more centralized and government-led, contrasting with America's market-driven model supplemented by regulatory oversight.
Particularly noteworthy for American readers is Korea's innovative linkage between AI development and international aid through Official Development Assistance (ODA) programs. President Lee explained that "supporting Korean AI to third-world countries through ODA projects creates a win-win situation for both sides," and that "modernizing ODA content to match AI changes would be highly effective in developing global markets." This strategy combines soft diplomacy with market expansion, similar to how American tech companies have leveraged USAID partnerships but with more direct government coordination.
This approach could create competitive pressure for U.S. foreign aid and development finance institutions, as Korea positions its AI technology as both developmental assistance and market penetration strategy. For American businesses, this signals increased competition in emerging markets where Korean AI solutions may gain preferential access through government-backed development programs.
Political Context and Implementation Challenges
The timing of this initiative carries significant political weight. President Lee, who won the June 3, 2025 presidential election, began his term immediately on June 4 without a traditional transition committee—a departure from standard Korean political practice that allowed for rapid policy implementation. Launching a major AI initiative just three months into his presidency demonstrates remarkable political prioritization of technological development.
For American observers, this rapid mobilization contrasts sharply with the typically lengthy transition and implementation periods in U.S. presidential administrations. The speed suggests either exceptional preparation during the campaign period or significant political consensus around AI development priorities—both scenarios indicating strong institutional support for the initiative.
Industry expectations are notably high, with observers viewing the committee as a potential turning point from previous governments' less coordinated AI policies. The direct presidential involvement provides implementation authority that typically requires extensive inter-agency coordination in the American system. However, this centralized approach also creates higher stakes for success, as failure would directly reflect on presidential leadership.
The committee's launch coincided with reports on establishing subordinate legislation for the AI Basic Act, indicating simultaneous legal framework development and policy implementation. This parallel approach to legislation and execution could provide advantages over the American system's often sequential approach to policy development.
Looking ahead, Korea's success in achieving top-three global AI status will depend heavily on execution capabilities and international collaboration. The ambitious GPU procurement targets, comprehensive policy integration, and innovative ODA linkage represent significant commitments that will require sustained political will and substantial financial resources.
For American policymakers and businesses, Korea's initiative signals intensifying competition in AI development and deployment. The country's strategic combination of government leadership, private sector partnership, and international market development through aid programs creates a comprehensive approach that may influence global AI development patterns and competitive dynamics in the coming years.
Source: 이재명 대통령, 국가AI전략위원회 출범으로 'AI 강국 3위' 도약 선언 (Korean original)
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