Benchmark Drilldown · Updated 2026-05-04
K-AI Strategy
National AI development blueprint
- Year
- 2019
- Region
- South Korea
- Type
- Strategy / policy document
Detail
The K-AI Strategy was released in 2019 as South Korea's first complete national AI blueprint, MSIT-led. Plan: become a global AI Top 3 (alongside the US and China) by 2030; three pillars — AI semiconductors, AI services, AI applications; target ₩455 trillion in GDP uplift. Assessment: the 2019 "global Top 3" target was important for national prestige, but five years on (2024) Korea's actual standing reads: AI publications #4-5 globally, AI startups / investment #5-7, frontier models still trailing the US and China (Naver's HyperCLOVA and Samsung's Gauss sit in the "Asia-leading" tier rather than global frontier). K-AI Strategy was not a major execution success, but it catalysed the 2024 AI Basic Act legislation — its biggest achievement is arguably building the political consensus that "AI needs law".
References
Continue exploring this region
Region overview
South Korea Core Strategy
South Korea's core AI strategy is K-AI Strategy / AI Basic Act, with the public year marked as 2019/2025.
Region overview
South Korea Investment Scale
South Korea's AI investment signal is: ₩100 trillion (~$71.5B) public-private fund.
Region overview
South Korea Governance Model
South Korea's AI governance model can be summarised as: AI Basic Act (passed 2024).
Region overview
South Korea Core Strength
South Korea's comparative strength versus Singapore is: Chaebols + semiconductors, dominant investment scale.
Core strategy
AI Basic Act
Passed by the National Assembly in 2024 and effective 2025; Asia's first full-scope AI law
Core strategy
AI Semiconductor Strategy
Strengthen sovereign AI chip capability
Data note
Curated benchmark drilldown profile, last updated 2026-05-04.