Ha Jung-woo, the newly appointed standing vice chairman of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Committee, said in his inaugural remarks that he would make the committee the hub of South Korea's AI transformation. He plans to strengthen cross-ministry policy coordination around megaprojects such as physical AI and AI data centers to accelerate execution of the national AI strategy.
Speaking at a press briefing on the 31st at Seoul Square in Yongsan District, Seoul, Ha said, "Following the announcement of the three megaprojects, this is the time to push forward so that Korea can serve as a core part of the supply chain in the AI era." He added, "The committee's role in producing results through coordination among ministries has become very important."
The committee will first strengthen cross-ministry policy coordination and public-private partnership around the "three megaprojects for Korea's great leap forward," built on three pillars: semiconductors, physical AI and AI data centers. It plans to build an "innovative AI ecosystem" in which semiconductors and AI infrastructure interlock with physical AI and the manufacturing and robotics industries, and to marshal national capabilities so that private investment and innovation translate into new growth engines for the AI industry.
"We will make necessary policy decisions quickly, actively mediate disputes among ministries and boldly remove obstacles on the ground," Ha said. He cited permitting for AI infrastructure as a prime example of such an obstacle. "There are difficulties with data center permits, and we will help expand AI infrastructure quickly by resolving this issue," he said.
His remarks underscored the importance of executing the AI strategy. "A good strategy is only the beginning; what matters is execution and results," Ha said, pledging to thoroughly monitor progress so that the government's AI action plan and the three megaprojects lead to actual investment, industrial growth and tangible benefits for the public.
He also signaled a commitment to developing AI chips. "If we become dependent on a single company for graphics processing units, that carries risks, so we need to strengthen domestically developed neural processing units that can be used for AI applications as a way to diversify the supply chain," Ha said.
Ha also stressed the need to spread the benefits of AI across society. "AI should not be a technology for a handful of companies or a particular class, but one that broadens opportunities for all citizens and improves quality of life," he said, pledging to realize "AI for all," in which the benefits of the technology spread evenly across companies, regions, generations and social classes.
