Korea Grapples with AI Race: “One Day Late is One Generation Behind”
SEOUL, October 19, 2023 – A sense of urgency permeated the ‘2025 Central forum’ held today at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul, as leaders from politics, government, and business converged to discuss Korea’s path forward in the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence landscape.The forum, themed “New leadership in the AI era: Asking about the path of Korea,” underscored a prevailing sentiment: falling behind in AI progress is not merely a competitive disadvantage, but a generational setback.
Approximately 460 attendees, including Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, engaged in discussions centered on navigating the technological competition. Key political figures present included Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers Park Hong-geun, Kim Young-jin, Kim young-bae, and Ko Min-jeong, alongside People Power Party lawmakers Kim Do-eup, Ahn Cheol-soo, kim Jeong-jae, and Bae Hyun-jin.
Business leaders participating included JoongAng Ilbo CEO Park Jang-hee, JoongAng Holdings Vice Chairman Hong Jeong-do, Nexon Korea CEO Kim Jeong-wook, S-Oil President Ryu Yeol, Shinsegae Department Store CEO Park Joo-hyung, HD Hyundai Site Solution CEO Song Hee-jun, Korea Export-Import Bank President Hwang Ki-yeon, NH Nonghyup Bank President Kang Tae-young, Hanwha Life insurance Vice Chairman Kwon Hyuk-woong, LG President Ha Beom-jong, Lotte Holdings Vice Chairman Lee Dong-woo, SK Vice Chairman lee Hyung-hee, Samsung Electronics President Park Seung-hee, KB Insurance CEO Koo Bon-wook, Shinhan Card CEO Park Chang-hoon, Hana Life Insurance President Nam gung-won, LX Holdings CEO Jin-seo Noh, and Hyundai Motor Group Vice President Young-gyu Lee.
Further bolstering the international perspective, David Edelman, Director of the Technology, Economy and National security Project at the MIT Internet Policy Research Institute, attended alongside Korea Employers Federation Chairman son Kyung-sik and Korea Senior Citizens’ Association Chairman Lee Jung-geun. Koo Hyuk-chae, First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, also participated.
The forum’s focus reflects growing concerns within Korea about maintaining its technological edge amidst intensifying global competition in AI. The event served as a platform to explore strategies for fostering innovation,attracting investment,and developing a skilled workforce capable of leading in the AI era.
