South Korea's President Urges Bold AI Spending in Budget Address to Boost Competitiveness

President Urges Aggressive AI Investment in Budget Address

In his annual budget speech, South Korea's president called for bold public investment in artificial intelligence, presenting it as a cornerstone of the country's competitiveness and long-term economic growth. He emphasized that proactive funding for AI infrastructure, research, and skills development is needed to secure a technology-driven future.

The appeal ties technology priorities directly to fiscal policy and is expected to influence upcoming budget negotiations in parliament. Lawmakers will now consider how much of the state budget to allocate to AI initiatives and whether to pair spending with regulatory or training programmes.

Policy analysts say the president's push signals a shift toward prioritizing digital transformation within Korea's national economic strategy. If accompanied by clear implementation plans, the move could spur private-sector innovation and accelerate adoption across industries.

The president framed AI investment as essential to national competitiveness and pressed lawmakers to back a budget that accelerates adoption across sectors.

Details on specific funding amounts were not provided in the speech; those figures will likely be revealed and debated as the government and legislature negotiate the fiscal package over the coming weeks.