The National AI Strategy Committee has officially begun operations under the leadership of newly appointed Vice Chair Ha Jung-woo. In his inaugural address, Ha announced plans to enhance government policy coordination and public-private collaboration through three major megaprojects focused on semiconductors, physical AI, and AI data centers.
According to the National AI Strategy Committee, Ha emphasized during his speech on August 31 that "the world is entering a new era of civilization centered around artificial intelligence." He stated that the committee should serve as the core of national AI governance, connecting the innovative capabilities of the private sector with government policy to achieve tangible results.
Ha outlined three key priorities for the committee's operations: consolidating national capabilities to elevate South Korea to one of the top three AI powerhouses, facilitating a comprehensive AI transformation across industries, public sectors, and daily life, and realizing 'AI for All' to ensure that every citizen benefits from AI advancements.
The committee plans to strengthen government policy coordination and public-private partnerships centered on the 'Three Megaprojects for South Korea's Great Leap Forward,' which focus on semiconductors, physical AI, and AI data centers. The goal is to establish an 'innovative AI ecosystem' where semiconductor and AI infrastructure, physical AI, and the manufacturing and robotics industries are interconnected, channeling private investment and innovation into new growth drivers for the AI sector.
Additionally, the committee aims to lead inter-agency cooperation to ensure that AI becomes a practical engine of innovation across various sectors, including industry, research, education, healthcare, administration, and public services. The three megaprojects are designed to connect regional industrial bases and talent to create a Korean-style AI industrial revolution that fosters growth in both metropolitan and regional areas.
Ha stated, "We will swiftly decide on necessary policies, actively mediate inter-departmental issues, and decisively eliminate obstacles in the field." He added that AI should not be a technology exclusive to a few companies or specific social classes, but rather a tool that broadens opportunities and enhances the quality of life for all citizens, aiming for a widespread distribution of AI benefits across businesses, regions, generations, and social classes.
The committee will also focus on strengthening policy implementation. Ha remarked, "A good strategy is just the beginning; what matters is execution and results," emphasizing the need to ensure that South Korea's AI action plan and the three megaprojects translate into actual policies, projects, investments, and changes that citizens can feel.
He concluded by stating, "I will do everything in my power to ensure that the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's three megaprojects and national AI transformation proceed without a hitch, allowing South Korea to become a country that the world pays attention to and a global model, achieving the status of an 'indispensable South Korea' that the world needs."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.