Democratic Party Launches Think Tank 'Growth and Integration'... Lee Retains Chairmanship of AI Power Committee

Democratic Party Think Tank Launches with 500 Policy Advisors
Comprised of Scholars and Former Officials, Focused on Growth Pledges
Lee Jaemyung Retains Party AI Committee Chair to Lead AI Initiatives

The Democratic Party's presidential policy think tank, 'Growth and Integration,' officially launched on the 16th, intensifying interest in the next government's policy plans. Growth and Integration is a policy advisory group composed mainly of scholars and former officials, with about 500 founding members.

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential primary candidate, is giving an opening speech at Puriosa AI in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 14th. 2025.4.14 Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

Growth and Integration held its inauguration ceremony on the morning of the same day at the National Assembly Library in Yeouido, Seoul, attended by Democratic Party Senior Supreme Council Member Kim Min-seok, Supreme Council Member Lee Eon-ju (Chair of the Future Economic Growth Strategy Committee), Supreme Council Member Jeon Hyun-hee, and Lee Han-joo, Director of the Democratic Research Institute.

Growth and Integration is an external organization mainly composed of scholars and former officials. Its members provide policy advice by developing presidential election pledges from outside the party. They plan to discover economic growth policies and propose them to the Democratic Party's presidential candidate.

The think tank is led by co-chairpersons Yoo Jong-il, Honorary Professor at the Korea Development Institute (KDI) Graduate School of International Policy, known as "Lee Jae-myung's policy advisor," and Heo Min, Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Chonnam National University. Honorary Professor Yoo participated in the policy advisory group for Lee Jae-myung, then a candidate for Seongnam Mayor, in 2014. Jang Byung-tak, Director of the Seoul National University Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Institute, Kim Jin-ah, Professor in the LD Department at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, and Kim Yang-hee, Professor of Economics at Daegu University, are listed as non-standing co-chairpersons.

The standing advisory group includes Koo Yoon-chul, Special Professor at Seoul National University and former Minister-level Head of the Office for Government Policy Coordination during the Moon Jae-in administration; Koo Hyun-mo, former CEO of KT and Vice Chairman of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea; Kim Ho-gyun, Honorary Professor at Myongji University and former Chairman of the Economic Justice Research Institute at Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice; Lee Se-jung, former President of Asia Economy; and Cho Cheong-myung, former President of POSCO Plantec.

Former leader and Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung is answering questions from reporters after completing the pledge ceremony for fair elections held at the National Assembly on April 16, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Growth and Integration plans to organize its activities into 34 subcommittees covering topics from growth strategies to climate crisis response. It presented the national vision of the '3·4·5 Growth Strategy,' aiming to achieve a 3% potential growth rate, become the world's 4th largest export powerhouse, and reach a per capita national income of $50,000 by 2030. The think tank intends to focus discussions on the AI-driven transformation of manufacturing, innovation in energy supply chains, and fostering strategic advanced industries. Co-chair Yoo Jong-il stated, "We plan to concentrate our policy development capabilities on raising productivity through AI-based technological innovation and energy transition," proposing the 'A2G Quantum Project.'

Meanwhile, former Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung has decided to maintain his position as Chair of the AI Powerhouse Committee, a non-permanent special committee of the Democratic Party. Established on the 7th of last month, the AI Powerhouse Committee is an organization created by the Democratic Party to develop AI-related policies and promote the industry. A key official of the AI Powerhouse Committee said, "Former leader Lee has decided to remain as chair," adding, "It is under the name of a member of the National Assembly."

This reflects Lee's focus on the AI agenda in this presidential election. On the 14th, following his early declaration of candidacy, Lee visited Puriosa AI, an AI semiconductor fabless company, as his first move, demonstrating his continued interest in related policies.