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'A day is a generation': Prime minister touts top office's push for AI leadership

Published: 19 Nov. 2025, 15:15 Updated: 19 Nov. 2025, 16:33

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok delivers congratulatory remarks at the 2025 JoongAng Forum at Lotte Hotel in Jung District, central Seoul, on Nov. 19. [KIM KYUNG-ROK]

The prime minister warned Wednesday that Korea cannot afford to lose a single day in the accelerating AI race, saying at the JoongAng Group's policy forum in Seoul that the Lee Jae Myung administration is working to ensure the country secures technological leadership to withstand intensifying global competition.

“In the AI era, falling behind by a single day means falling behind by an entire generation,” Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said in his congratulatory remarks at the 2025 JoongAng Forum on AI leadership held Wednesday at Lotte Hotel in central Seoul.

He added that the world is shifting quickly as global trade frameworks evolve and AI accelerates a major economic and technological transformation. “Global competition is intense,” he said.

Kim argued that even as competition grows sharper, “the new keyword is ‘connection.’” He said new leadership in the AI era requires more than accelerating technological innovation. “It also means fostering solidarity and cooperation between people and between nations,” he said.

Kim said the Lee administration has strengthened the country’s AI infrastructure by building strategic partnerships with global leaders such as OpenAI, Nvidia and BlackRock. He noted that next year’s budget proposal includes 10 trillion won ($6.8 billion) to support a national plan to transform Korea into one of the "world’s top three AI powers."

“Under our vision of ‘AI for all,’ the government will make sure no one in our country is left behind,” he said.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok delivers congratulatory remarks at the 2025 JoongAng Forum at Lotte Hotel in Jung District, central Seoul, on Nov. 19. [WOO SANG-JO]

On Korea’s strategy for the global AI market, Kim highlighted the AI Initiative adopted at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, earlier this month, calling it a key foundation for Korea’s emerging global leadership in the field.

“During the process of concluding the Korea–U.S. tariff negotiations, the government and large companies cooperated to a degree that other countries openly praised,” he said.

“The government will work closely with industries, academia and the international community so Korea can take a greater leap forward in the age of the AI revolution,” he added.

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle joined the event, including Reps. Park Hong-keun, Kim Young-jin, Ko Min-jung and Kim Young-bae of the Democratic Party, as well as Rep. Kim Do-eup, policy chief of the People Power Party, and Reps. Ahn Cheol-soo, Kim Jung-jae and Bae Hyun-jin.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HAN YEONG-IK, JO SU-BIN [[email protected]]