Key Takeaways
• Han Duck-soo is proposing a new AI-focused ministry to centralize South Korea’s innovation efforts
• He’s calling out trillion-won pledges from rivals as unrealistic, offering a leaner, strategic approach
• Plans include a 1 trillion won AI talent fund, regulatory sandboxes, and even AI-run government agents
• If implemented, South Korea could be one of the first nations with a dedicated AI governance structure
South Korean presidential candidate Han Duck-soo isn’t pitching another flashy tech fund. He wants to create an AI Innovation Strategy Department, a vice-minister-level agency with real power to oversee and align the country’s AI, science, and technology policy.
In a race full of vague digital pledges, Han’s proposal stands out for what it is: a structural overhaul of how government backs innovation.
“To build an efficient and long-term system, rationalizing the platform is the role of the next president.”— Yoon Ki-chan, Han’s campaign spokesperson
Smarter Spending, Not Bigger Numbers
While other candidates throw out promises of 100 trillion won or more in tech investments, Han’s campaign is calling that out as budgetary fiction.
“The annual budget is 600 trillion won, and 100 trillion won is too large.”— Han campaign official
Instead, he’s pledging a 1 trillion won fund to develop local AI talent and attract international researchers. It’s a more grounded figure—with a plan to back it up.
Here’s What the AI Ministry Would Do
Han’s vision goes well beyond reorganization. The proposed ministry would actively build and manage key national capabilities:
• Secure 500,000 advanced AI semiconductors (GPUs) by 2030
• Launch a regulatory “sandbox” for AI and core tech experimentation
• Transform the National Science and Technology Council into a centralized Data Commission
• Introduce AI-powered administrative agents to improve government efficiency
These aren’t just policy tweaks—they’re bold bets on how a digital government should function.
Why It Matters Right Now
South Korea has the hardware. It has the connectivity. But its AI strategy has been scattered—split across multiple ministries without a unified vision.
Han’s pledge is about fixing that. And doing it before global AI competition pulls too far ahead.
“The candidate recognizes the importance of proactively creating an administrative system… and believes this is fundamentally necessary.”— Yoon Ki-chan
If Han wins and delivers on this plan, South Korea won’t just be catching up in AI. It could lead by showing what intentional, integrated governance looks like in the age of intelligent systems.
Creating a standalone AI ministry isn’t just policy it’s positioning.
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