'Aiming to Become a Top 3 AI Powerhouse... The First Year of Infrastructure Development Next Year'

Meeting of Ministers Related to Strengthening Industrial Competitiveness Held

On the 27th, Choi Sang-mok, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance, is delivering opening remarks at the Ministerial Meeting on Strengthening Industrial Competitiveness held at the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association in Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si.

The government is set to actively foster the ecosystem centered around the National AI Committee to become one of the top three AI powerhouses.

On the 27th, the government held a meeting of ministers related to strengthening industrial competitiveness, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok, and announced the "Early Establishment Plan for an AI Innovation Ecosystem."

Considering major countries' announcements of large-scale AI investments and changes in policy environments, the government views this as a golden time requiring comprehensive investment expansion in the AI ecosystem. It plans to make next year a key year for infrastructure development and use it as a stepping stone to leap into the top three AI powerhouses.

To this end, the government will promote the establishment of a "National AI Computing Center" through a public-private joint investment totaling 4 trillion won by 2030, and create a new AI-dedicated loan program including AI computing infrastructure within the 17 trillion won semiconductor low-interest loan program to stimulate investment.

Additionally, the R&D budget for AI semiconductors and service industries will be increased from 900 billion won this year to 1.1 trillion won next year to expand investment in next-generation core technologies. The government has allocated 200 billion won in next year’s budget to focus on nurturing and securing AI talent.

Investments in core infrastructure such as power, taxation, and finance, as well as institutional improvements, will also be pursued. To prepare for the rapidly increasing AI power demand, development of small modular reactor (SMR) design, operation technology, and safety enhancement technologies will be expanded, and efforts will be made to designate the AI sector as a national strategic technology under the Restriction of Special Taxation Act to expand tax credits.

In his opening remarks at the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Choi emphasized, "From the perspective that AI competitiveness will affect the entire industry as a general-purpose technology, AI competitiveness means the fundamental strength of our economy," and added, "We will strive to foster the ecosystem centered on the National AI Committee to leap into the top three AI powerhouses."